Month: August 2025

A new community station has launched from Tircoed Village near Swansea from the ashes of SA Radio Live and Radio Tircoed.
It’s the third name in 12 months for the frequency of 106.5 FM, officially changing to Welsh Coast Radio on 7 July, offering a mix of themed shows, listener content and local stories aimed at celebrating Swansea and surrounding areas.
Welsh Coast Radio says it aims to become “a community voice with a heartbeat,” with a strong focus on listener interaction and authentic Welsh storytelling.
The team said: “We’re proud to represent Tircoed Village, celebrate Swansea, and put local voices front and centre.”

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Graham Norton will return to Virgin Radio UK on Sunday 24 August with a live broadcast from Edinburgh.

The show will air from 10am to 1pm in front of a live audience at the Commons Club Bar inside Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, coinciding with the final weekend of the city’s world-famous festival.
Listeners can expect Graham’s familiar wit, special guests and plenty of entertainment as he steps back into his old mid-morning slot for a one-off programme described as a celebration of summer and the arts.
Graham said: “I’m so looking forward to catching up with all the Virgin listeners and thrilled that we are going to be celebrating the legendary Edinburgh festival from the heart of the city. The whole thing feels like an end of summer treat.”
Virgin Red members have a chance to attend the show by redeeming tickets using Virgin Points. The event includes food and drink from the hotel’s bar and kitchen as part of the ticket experience, with limited availability via the Virgin Red app.
This marks the first time Virgin Radio will broadcast from a Virgin Hotel, with Edinburgh’s Commons Club Bar chosen as the venue. The hotel, located in the historic India Buildings just off the Royal Mile, features views of Edinburgh Castle and is at the centre of festival activity.
Ellie Davis, Deputy Content Director at Virgin Radio, said: “It’s an absolute pleasure to welcome Graham back to the Virgin Radio family for this extra-special show live from the Virgin Hotels Edinburgh.”
Mafalda Alburquerque, General Manager at Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, added: “There couldn’t be a more perfect setting for Graham’s sensational return to Virgin Radio.”
The broadcast comes as the city hosts hundreds of performers and thousands of visitors during August for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and International Festival.

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The Christian O’Connell Show will broadcast nationally across Australia for the first time in 2026.

The move marks a significant step in ARN’s strategy to expand its content reach across metro and regional markets, bringing the Melbourne-based GOLD FM breakfast show to listeners in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and beyond.
Christian, who moved from the UK to Australia in 2018, said going national was a long-held ambition.
“When I moved here seven years ago, I dreamed of building a national show – one that could connect with people all over Australia,” he said.
He previously fronted a number one national breakfast show in the UK with an audience of 2.5 million and has since built a strong following in Melbourne with a show known for its mix of storytelling, humour and community.
The national rollout will see the show air live in major cities during breakfast and in regional areas in the evenings, as ARN expands the GOLD Network’s footprint.
“This isn’t a show about gossip or stunts,” Christian added. “I want to offer something more: a real alternative in the mornings. Something built on heart, humour and human connection.”
ARN’s Chief Audience & Content Officer Lauren Joyce said: “Christian is a rare talent with an extraordinary ability to connect with audiences. He’s already built one of the most successful shows in Melbourne, and we believe that’s just the beginning.”
The show is also expected to offer new national advertising opportunities, with ARN highlighting Christian’s previous commercial campaigns that have resonated with both clients and listeners.
“I have helped brands innovate with ideas that don’t just shout – they’ve mattered,” Christian said. “I’m excited to bring that same creative thinking to national clients who want to stand out and make a difference.”
Christian’s move to a national breakfast platform is a first for commercial radio in Australia and comes after seven years building his audience in Melbourne.
“People said I’d never make it here. That an outsider wouldn’t connect. But I did. I’ve stayed true to who I am and what I do: real radio, for grown-ups, about real life – and bloody funny.”

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Tributes have been paid to Doug Wood, one of the original voices on Signal Radio, following his death this week. He was 69.
Doug was part of the launch team at Signal Radio in 1983 and spent more than three decades on air in Staffordshire before later joining Moorlands Radio, The HitMix and launching his own online station, The Radio Ship.
He died on Wednesday, 30 July, after a short illness. Across social media, radio colleagues and listeners remembered Doug as a skilled broadcaster and generous colleague.
Doug began his career with offshore and pirate stations including the Voice of Peace in the Middle East, before returning to the UK and joining Signal just before it launched on 5 September 1983.
In an interview in 2017, Doug recalled: “That first year, the station nearly went under. One night we were told that if we came in the morning and there were chains on the doors, we should just go home. But a deal was struck and we carried on.”
His time at Signal 1 included presenting and production roles, and he worked alongside names such as Mel Scholes, Andy Goulding and Sam Plank. Doug embraced changes in the industry and later championed the legacy of offshore radio with The Radio Ship, which streamed online.
A post from The HitMix, where Doug last worked on air, said: “A great loss to the world of radio and the world in general. Reunited with his beloved wife Lynne. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
Blue Sky Radio added: “An amazingly talented broadcaster and fantastic human being. We are all thinking of his family and loved ones.”
Doug lived in Meir Park, Stoke-on-Trent, and remained active in local radio for over 40 years. He was widely respected by colleagues across the North Staffordshire broadcast community.
See a tribute to Doug on the RadioLondon.co.uk website.

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