Alexa and BBC Radio Scotland: What Has Changed and What Do You Need to Say?

14th September 2026

Some BBC radio listeners using Amazon Alexa may have noticed a change. Asking Alexa to "play Radio Scotland" may now result in a message saying that the station is no longer available.

That does not mean BBC Radio Scotland has disappeared.

The problem appears to be the way Alexa is now accessing BBC radio online. Instead of recognising the old direct command, Alexa may require listeners to go through BBC Sounds.

The good news is that once you know the new route, it is fairly simple.

What to say to Alexa
Instead of saying: "Alexa, play Radio Scotland"

try: "Alexa, open BBC Sounds."

You can then select BBC Radio Scotland from the available BBC stations.

You can also try: "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Radio Scotland."

The exact wording Alexa accepts may vary between devices, but the important thing is to get BBC Sounds open first.

This is likely to be particularly confusing for people who have been listening to BBC radio through Alexa for years. There is nothing wrong with the radio station itself and you do not need to buy a new Echo device.

It is simply another example of the way online radio is changing. What used to be a straightforward instruction to Alexa can now require listeners to know which service is providing the stream.

For anyone who relies on an Echo as their main way of listening to the radio, it is worth remembering the new phrase:

"Alexa, open BBC Sounds."

From there, BBC Radio Scotland and the other BBC stations can be selected.

Round up
Amazon Alexa — say something like "Alexa, play BBC Radio Scotland". If that no longer works, BBC Sounds may need to be opened first, as you discovered.

Google Assistant / Google Home — normally "Hey Google, play BBC Radio Scotland."

Apple Siri / HomePod — "Hey Siri, play BBC Radio Scotland." Apple HomePods can currently play many BBC stations directly.

Phone/tablet — the BBC Sounds app remains the straightforward option in the UK. It provides live BBC stations as well as programmes and podcasts.

The Government is actually trying to make sure broadcasters cannot simply disappear from these voice-controlled systems. Ofcom's work found that 18% of all radio listening is now through voice-assisted devices, so losing access to a station on Alexa, Google or Siri is becoming much more significant than it would have been a few years ago.