DIG out your ra-ra skirts - Bolton DJ Sara Cox has landed a new radio show which celebrates the music and trends of 1980s.

Sounds of the '80s will kick off Radio 2’s autumn schedule on Saturday, October 5, from 10pm until midnight.

The former BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenter, who went to Smithills High School and Canon Slade School, said: “I'm completely over the moon to be hosting an '80s shindig every Saturday night on Radio 2.

“Dig out your lace gloves and ra-ra skirts and join me for the best music from the best decade."

Every week, the 38-year-old will celebrate music from the decade which gave us synthesizers, ghetto blasters, the moonwalk and saw pop videos explode onto the music scene.

Music phenomena such as new wave and synth pop arrived and the hip-hop scene evolved while hard rock, heavy metal, glam metal and new country became dominant genres.

It was the decade of acts including U2, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Prince, Duran Duran, The Smiths and David Bowie and the show will also look at the trends of the decade, such as shellsuits, mobile phones, the personal computer, the CD, yuppies and ET.

Listeners can e-mail requests to eighties@bbc.co.uk and Boy George will be Sara's guest on the first show.

Bob Shennan, controller of BBC Radio 2, said: “Sounds of the '80s was a show waiting to happen and I’m happy to be welcoming Sara to Radio 2.

“Sara has been a regular holiday cover presenter on the network for 18 months and we know the audience have really taken to her.

“The show will perfectly complement two of the network’s best-loved programmes, Sounds of the '60s, presented by Brian Matthew, and Sounds of the '70s, hosted by Johnnie Walker.”

Also as part of the station’s new schedule for Autumn 2013, House star Hugh Laurie will debut as a Radio 2 presenter with a new six-part series on the blues.