BBC Radio 1 and television Long joined BBC Radio 1 in 1982, making her debut on 4 December with her own Saturday evening show from 7:30 pm to 10 pm, after being presented as the 'newcomer' on Top of the Pops two nights earlier. From 1984 to 1987 she presented the Monday–Thursday evenings from 7:30 pm to 10 pm, a mix of new music and current affairs, and record review programme Singled Out on Friday evenings from 5:45 pm to 7 pm. On television, Long was a regular presenter of the BBC 1 chart show Top of the Pops between January 1983 and August 1988, often in partnership with John Peel after the departure of David Jensen with whom she struck up a solid friendship. In 1989, she joined London station BBC Radio London (then known as Greater London Radio), taking over from Nick Abbot on the breakfast show. At the time GLR was being run by future BBC Radio 1 controller Matthew Bannister and future Radio 1 executive Trevor Dann. .
