Hits Radio: Big John at Breakfast amongst Yorkshire shows scrapped in latest local radio shake up following a 25 year stint
Award-winning Hits Radio show Big John at Breakfast will be scrapped after 25 years along with The Mylo and Rosie breakfast show and Alex and Nicola in the morning, in a huge shake up of radio programming.
Hits Radio has announced that it will be scrapping all of its regional breakfast shows at the beginning of next month.
Big John at Breakfast in South Yorkshire alongside Alex and Nicola in the morning in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire and The Mylo and Rosie Show in West Yorkshire will be taken off air on June 6 and replaced with one single national breakfast show.
They were the last remaining regional shows as part of the network.
Hits Radio, run by Bauer Media, is also streamlining its production team to seven new hubs with the Yorkshire one being in Leeds.
‘End of an era’: Big John to depart Hits Radio South Yorkshire
Big John posted on social media saying: “I’ve managed it! I’ve just pulled off the biggest scam in UK radio.
“I got away with it for 25 years.
“I was never meant to be on the radio! I’m not a proper radio presenter!
“But finally it’s all caught with me. And they’ve realised. So now it’s time to wrap this show up.
But this relationship with you, isn’t breaking up. I’m seeing it as just a pause. This isn’t over. We are unfinished business.”
Big John originally aired on Hallam FM before Hits Radio took over the station.
He added: “The station moves on. Quite right.
“But what an honour to be given this show, and for so long!
“We’re not done just yet — let’s make these final weeks count.”
The Mylo and Rosie Show which airs on a morning in West Yorkshire, has been hosted by Danny Mylo and Rosie Macintosh for the past eleven years.
In an emotional video Danny said: “After 11 years of waking you up in the morning, we have to make way for something new to wake you up in the morning.
Rosie added: “To say we’ve absolutely loved being part of your daily routine would be an understatement.”
Holding back the tears the pair thanked listeners for being there for them through the good and the bad.
Over in East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire Alex and Nicola in the morning, hosted by Alex Duffy and Nicola Lashley who’ve been broadcasting their breakfast show for several years ever since it was first aired on Magic Fm which became Hits Radio last year, will also be axed.
Alex and Nicola posted on facebook sharing the news.
They said: “We have loved being part of your mornings and lives, and we’ll never forget some of the stories you’ve shared with us.
“We’re going to have the best last few weeks, Alex is turning 40… and who knows Nicola might even get a boyfriend!
“From us to you, THANK YOU! You’re the BEST!”
Both Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio have confirmed that they will continue to broadcast local news, including traffic and travel information, as well as support disadvantaged young people in the local regions through Bauer Media Group’s charity, Cash for Kids.
Simon Myciunka, CEO of Bauer Media Audio UK, said: “We continually evolve to meet audience behaviours and advertiser needs and by launching one single national Breakfast show across Hits Radio, we are supercharging our efforts to provide a more unified, engaging experience across the entire schedule while also retaining local news and information.”
“I’d like to extend my thanks to our Hits Radio Breakfast teams in England and Wales as they embark on their final run of shows. Their significant contribution has played a hugely important part of the Hits Radio story so far and we wish them well for the future.”
In February this year, Capital Yorkshire and Heart Yorkshire were centralised with only local news, travel and weather being broadcast from the region.