Capital Yorkshire and Heart Yorkshire: Regional radio shows scrapped in centralisation move

Regionally broadcast drivetime shows on Capital, presented by Adam and Jo Jo, and Heart, presented by Dixie and Emma, are to be replaced with a networked drivetime show.

Global, the Media and Entertainment group, today (Wednesday February 5) confirmed new programming changes across Heart, Capital & Smooth as part of its Nations Strategy.

From Monday, February 24, JK & Kelly Brook, Will Manning, and Jenni Falconer will host new networked shows across England, while dedicated drive shows will continue for Wales and Scotland.

In 2019, Capital Yorkshire and Heart Yorkshire’s breakfast shows were centralised meaning only locally broadcast news, weather, and travel updates were transmitted.

Capital and Heart Yorkshire’s new schedule:

Replacing the much-loved Dixie and Emma, JK & Kelly Brook will present Heart Drive across England, airing Monday to Friday, 4pm-7pm. Their show, already available nationally on DAB, will now extend to the FM network in England.

Popular drivetime hosts Adam and Yorkshire radio legend ‘The JoJo’ will be replaced by Will Manning, who will now host Capital Drive across England, which airs Monday through Friday from 4 pm to 7pm. In addition to his drivetime show, Will continues to present The EE Official Big Top 40 every Sunday from 4pm to 7pm.

Jenni Falconer will host a fully networked Smooth Breakfast across England and Wales, airing Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The move follows the introduction of the Media Act, which has removed the legal requirement for locally-made programming on local and regional licences, due to listeners tuning in on smart devices.

Each national show will continue to deliver local news, travel, and weather updates, provided by Global’s newsrooms across the UK.

Ashley Tabor-King CBE, Founder & Executive President of Global, said: "This is an important time as we enter the next chapter of our growth, with fully national drive shows for Heart and Capital in England, and a fully national Breakfast show for Smooth across England and Wales.

“Our focus on a Nations programming strategy, with national brands delivered locally, at quality and scale, aims to give the very best content for listeners and advertisers as well as maintaining local touchpoints including news, travel, and weather.”