BBC Radio York presenter Jonathan Cowap to leave station after 34 years in budget reorganisation

Cowap joined the station in 1989, having worked in Hull before being offered a job on Radio York.

His 10am-2pm weekday programme will now no longer be broadcast from York due to a reorganisation of the BBC’s radio budget.

The restructure will also see much-loved BBC Radio Humberside presenter David Burns leave his show in the same time slot.

Cowap told listeners that the decision had been his to make, but due to the cuts had not been ‘an easy one’.

As part of the new structure, local transmissions will be closed from 2-6pm on weekdays and a presenter based in Sheffield will fill the gap for York. Local programming will still be broadcast from 6am-2pm. Weekend coverage will be shared with stations across the region.

The budget reallocation will see funds invested in digital content and investigative reporting.

Cowap will present his last programme next Thursday. He took voluntary redundancy rather than re-apply for his job. He added that he would miss Radio York ‘tremendously’, particularly his interactions with the audience.

He said he would take a short break but did not have any firm plans for the next stage of his career.