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Paying BBC radio via Alexa - help!

  • August 7, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 37 views
T

I know this has been probably been done to death, but how the do I just get my Beam to play a BBC Radio station via Alexa?

 

I think I’ve done everything, set up Alexa in the Sonos app, enables BBC Sounds skill in the Alexa app and linked accounts.

 

What I am getting;

Me “Alexa, play BBC 6Music”

Alexa “Playing BBC 6Music”

Followed by silence

 

or

 

Me “Alexa open BBC Sounds”

Alexa “(BBC Sounds open noise)..What would you like to hear?”

Me “6Music”

Alexa “Playing BBC 6Music”

Followed by silence

 

So close but so far! Any tips?

Best answer by Timmys

Thanks for your help ​@craigski but managed to fix it!

I found some instructions that included a step I had not tried (thought I had tried everything!), solution was….

  1. In Alexa app disable BBC Sounds skill
  2. In Amazon account (via website) delete the Sonos as a linked device.
  3. In Alexa app add BBC Sounds skill back
  4. In Sonos App add Alexa to the Beam (this bit seem to be missing from the instructions I found)

4 replies

C
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  • craigski
  • Local Superstar
  • August 7, 2026

I tend to always use your second option, ie BBC Sounds Skill, it is working for me today.

However, this issue maybe affecting you:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/help/issues/smart-speaker/alexa-cutting-out

Try following the help on the links from that page.

What is status of Beam in App when there is silence?

 

T
  • Timmys
  • Author
  • Contributor I
  • August 7, 2026

Thanks.

The only thing on that link I hadn’t actually tried is turning it off and on again 🤣 Any idea how old that article is? i.e. is it a recent issue or a longstanding one.

The status of the Beam in the Sonos App is during silence is either “No Content”, or is shows what was last playing paused.

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  • craigski
  • Local Superstar
  • August 7, 2026

Can you play BBC Sounds via Sonos App and/or using Native App on your Phone?

If you get ‘no content’ on Sonos, I would delete the BBC Sounds Music Service and re-add.

    T
    • Timmys
    • Author
    • Contributor I
    • Answer
    • August 7, 2026

    Thanks for your help ​@craigski but managed to fix it!

    I found some instructions that included a step I had not tried (thought I had tried everything!), solution was….

    1. In Alexa app disable BBC Sounds skill
    2. In Amazon account (via website) delete the Sonos as a linked device.
    3. In Alexa app add BBC Sounds skill back
    4. In Sonos App add Alexa to the Beam (this bit seem to be missing from the instructions I found)
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