Darren Hellwege
Announcer/Producer"The Voice Of Columbia," Darren Hellwege has hosted NPR's “Morning Edition” for over 35 years on KBIA. He also hosts programs on Classical 90.5 FM including "The Opera Shop."
An avid Tiger sports fan, Darren serves as the P.A. announcer for Mizzou Wrestling and soccer. As former KBIA Sports Director, Darren reported on Tiger athletics for more than 10 years. His reports from the 2009 NCAA Women’s Final Four basketball tournament were heard nationwide on NPR, he appeared on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” and was a regular guest with Chris Gervino on KOMU-TV’s Sunday night sports program and on sports talk programs in Kansas City.
Darren has served as president of the Board of Directors for ACT Services of Columbia. Also, he’s been a member of the Columbia/Boone County Board of Health and the Boone County Mental Health Board of Trustees, the University of Missouri Campus Safety Committee, and he was a board member for the Central Missouri Humane Society and Rock Bridge Christian Church. Darren coached youth sports for several years with Boys/Girls Club of Columbia, Columbia Diamond Council and Columbia Youth Basketball Association. He’s also been active in community theatre, performing with Maplewood Barn Community Theatre, Theatre NXS, and MoHip. A Columbia Tribune review of a Maplewood production of "Oklahoma!" included the line "Darren Hellwege is no Fred Astaire."
Darren was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma and grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma where he attended the University of Central Oklahoma. Darren and his wife Bonnie have two grown children. Their son Kristian lives in Columbia and daughter Janie Lavelock lives in Kansas City with her husband Jake, and Darren’s three awesome grandchildren.
Prior to coming to KBIA, Darren worked for public radio station KCSC (now KUCO) in Edmond and at Oklahoma City radio stations WKY and WWLS. He’s also worked for KFRU and KFMZ in Columbia and KWRT in Boonville.
Darren is an avid genealogist, and enjoys playing guitar, listening to all kinds of music, and - of course - sports. He remains a loyal Rams fan, is a 4th generation St. Louis Cardinals supporter, and follows English soccer club Liverpool F.C.
Darren is on social media at @kbiamorning where he shares news stories, selfies, and dad jokes.
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KBIA's Darren Hellwege talks with Dr. Jeffrey Stevens of the Mizzou History Department about this year's guest in the Fordyce Mitchel Lecture Series. Dr. Dimitri Nakassis of University of Colorado will speak on "At Mycenae the Gods Once Walked the Earth: The Rise and Fall of a Bronze Age Civilization."Schedule for 2026 Fordyce Mitchell Lecture Series -
KBIA's Darren Hellwege talks with Nicole Johnston of the Missouri Historic Costume and Textile Collection and Joan Stack of the State Historical Society of Missouri about the new display " W[A]RN and TRANSFORMED: Uniforms as Stories of U.S." with U.S. military veterans sharing stories as art around the military uniforms. W[A]RN and TRANSFORMED: UniformW[A]RN and TRANSFORMED: Uniforms as Stories of U.S.s as Stories of U.S. -
KBIA's Darren Hellwege visits with Brandi Hamilton, a environmental specialist with the Missouri State Department of Health and Senior Services and Environmental Epidemiology, about the dangers of household radon. This tasteless and odorless gas can greatly increase risk of lung cancer and other cancers. The good news is the State of Missouri provides free, easy to use radon test kits, and if radon is detected they can recommend mitigation measures. MO Department of Health and Senior Services radon test kits -
KBIA's Darren Hellwege talks with Brian Kisida of Mizzou's Open Minds Initiative about a visit to Columbia from Sebastian Junger, author of the recently released book, "Tribe: On Homecoming And Belonging." Junger will be appearing as part of the University's Thomas Lecture and Performance Series. Darren and Brian also discuss the Open Minds Initiative at M.U. Open Minds Initiative from Mizzou A&S -
KBIA's Darren Hellwege visits with Stacia Schaefer of the State Historical Society of Missouri about many events happening at the Center for Missouri Studies around the 100th anniversary of Route 66. 100 Years of Route 66 at State Historical Society of Missouri -
KBIA's Darren Hellwege talks with Audra West about the upcoming Children's Mission and Movie Day at Columbia's First Presbyterian Church. You can sign up at First Presbyterian Church -
The Connector Helps Missourians Understand Research at MizzouKBIA’s Darren Hellwege talks with Senior Engagement Programming Director Christal Huber about her work at The Connector — a team that connects Missourians to people, resources, tools and ideas from Mizzou's research and creative activity. They discuss the upcoming Columbia Young Scientists Expo, happening at Mizzou on Saturday, Feb. 28.The Connector Young Scientists Fair and Expo -
KBIA's Darren Hellwege talks with Petie Holder of Missouri River Relief about their agency and the work they do, and about the assistance they receive from the Boone County Community Trust -
KBIA's Darren Hellwege talks about the Blue Christmas service happening at First Presbyterian Church with their Senior Pastor, Rev. Kati Collins. First Presbyterian Church -
In this season premiere of Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan, Stephanie sits down with KBIA Morning Edition host Darren Hellwege to discuss "Living After Midnight" by Judas Priest. It's a rebellious track about running amok under the cover of night. The Donnas covered it in 2001.
