Latest news about Heart FM

Bauer gains approval to network breakfast shows

Ofcom has granted Bauer a number of Format changes to allow all of its stations to network all but three hours each weekday rather than the previous seven. UK commercial radio stations have been allowed to submit Format changes since the Localness Guidelines were amended last year, but Bauer has only just taken the steps required to allow this. Bauer can now share all programmes, with the exception of a three-hour show on weekdays (which doesn’t have to be breakfast), in the approved areas already suggested by Ofcom.

Mark Wright returns to weekends on Heart

Mark Wright is back in the UK and is returning to Global to host a weekend show on Heart from July 6th. He’ll be on-air across the network each Saturday afternoon from 4pm till 7pm. Mark left Heart in December 2017 and has been working in LA for the last 18 months. He originally joined in December 2012 to host Club Classics every Friday and Saturday night. James Rea, Managing Editor of Heart told RadioToday: “Mark is the perfect host for Saturday evenings on Heart"...

Global to launch Heart Dance with Toby Anstis on Breakfast

Heart Dance, a new service from Global, is launching on DAB digital radio across the UK this Friday 21st June. The Club Classics formatted station will have former Heart presenters Toby Anstis on the breakfast show, and Lucy Horobin on afternoon drive. Lucy will also be presenting a weekend show every Saturday from 10am – 1pm. Heart Dance will play club classics from the likes of Basement Jaxx, Daft Punk, Ne-Yo, Ultra Naté, Fatboy Slim and Armand Van Helden.

Heart drivetime show presenters announced by Global

Global has announced who will present each of the regional Heart drivetime shows when the brand starts a networked breakfast show on June 3rd. The number of regional afternoon programmes will be halved, with a number of breakfast presenters making the move to drivetime, whilst some current weekend and local drivetime presenters will transfer.

Heart presenters start saying goodbye to listeners

Presenters at a number of Heart stations are starting to tell listeners they are leaving their radio shows at the end of May. They are tweeting farewell messages as each local or regional breakfast show is about to go networked, and some drive presenters replaced. In a bold move never undertaken at this scale before, Global is about to change every breakfast show and almost every drive show on its large network of Heart stations outside London.

RAJAR Q1 2019: Regional and local radio facts and figures

Whilst the national news is all about new radio stations and breakfast shows, the main headlines in the regions are about one of Bauer’s latest brands. The first results for Greatest Hits Radio in England show a mainly downward trend following the rebrand from City 2 stations last quarter.

RAJAR Q1 2019 – Zoe & Chris plus national and London radio round-up

Chris Evans and Virgin Radio both reached over a million listeners in the first quarter of 2019. The digital station’s audience has almost trebled compared with the last period of 2018 thanks to the arrival of Evans from Radio 2. In Q1/2019 it posts a weekly reach of 1.3m and total hours of 7.765m. A year ago those figures were 427,000 and 1.632m. Last quarter they were 447,000 and 1.686m.

National sponsor announced for networked Heart breakfast show

Global has signed broadband provider TalkTalk to sponsor Heart Breakfast – which will be the largest show in commercial radio when it launches nationally on June 3rd. The new show will be hosted by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, with former Pussycat Dolls star and TV personality Ashley Roberts, who will be sharing gossip from the world of showbiz.

Broadcasters unite once again for Mental Health Minute

Commercial Radio and the BBC are once again uniting to broadcast a one-minute message in support of mental health awareness. For the second year Mental Health Minute will feature globally famous voices and unite stations all over the UK, from national networks such as those run by Global, Bauer and Wireless, to smaller local stations and community stations, together with BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, and 5 Live.

Amanda Holden to join Jamie Theakston for Heart UK Breakfast

Heart’s new national breakfast show will be presented by Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden when it starts on June 3rd. Details of Amanda’s appointment were published on Sunday by The Mirror but an official announcement is expected on Monday morning by Global to expand on the details. RadioToday understands current presenters of Heart’s local breakfast shows across England, Scotland and Wales were told the news on Sunday.