On 25 January Ara City Radio presenter Sam Steen will take the mic at 6am as usual for the “Freshly Squeezed Breakfast Show”. But instead of clocking off at 9am, he will continue to broadcast through the afternoon, the night and following morning until 2pm on 26 January.

“Why? Well, since the beginning, Ara City had had a team to the “Relais pour la Vie” and this year someone forgot to press the send on the email and the team missed their registration deadline,” a 16 January statement from the station read. “Sam decided to take the fall for the team.”

In order to benefit the charities supported by the cancer relay, taking place from 24 to 25 March, listeners are encouraged to pledge money in the name of Ara City Radio’s 32-hour marathon.

Steen will be helped in his marathon by a handful of supporters and musicians who have filled out a rota to keep him awake with games and chats throughout the broadcast.

“I will definitely need company with me in the studio. Despite being the Breakfast Show host, I’m not really a morning person and I need a lot of sleep so a nap is a regular feature of my normal day,” Steen said, adding: “This is probably a bigger challenge for me than most people.”

To hear the show, tune in to 102.9 FM or 105.2 or listen live online.