UK

Heart Scotland is refreshing its Breakfast Show with a new trio of presenters from next Monday 11 August.
Des Clarke will be joined by Adele Cunningham and Grado to front Heart Scotland Breakfast with Des Clarke, Adele & Grado, airing live from 6:30am to 10:00am each weekday.
The show will broadcast from Global’s studios on West Regent Street in Glasgow.
Adele returns to Heart following previous stints with the brand and across Scottish radio, including Real Radio and Clyde 1. Grado, best known for his work in wrestling and comedy, will take on a full-time breakfast role for the first time.
Des has been presenting Heart Scotland Breakfast since last year and says the new team promises “fun on air” and “a lot of mischief in the studio”.
Adele said she was “delighted to be joining the madness”, while Grado added: “Get ready Scotland! We’re going to bring you the biggest and best tunes, celebrity interviews and laughs!”
Andy Everett, Managing Editor for Scotland & Wales at Global, said: “The three of them together are pure dynamite. Just what our listeners need to start the day right.”
The new show launches on Monday 11 August at 6:30am on Heart Scotland.

Des Clarke took over the Heart Scotland Breakfast Show in 2023, following a long broadcasting career including Capital Scotland and BBC Radio Scotland.
Adele Cunningham previously worked at Real Radio, Clyde 1, and Heart, and was part of the original launch team of Heart Scotland.
Grado is a Scottish professional wrestler, actor and radio host known for his appearances in BBC Scotland’s *Scot Squad* and *Two Doors Down*.
The show replaces the current Breakfast format with Des Clarke and pJennifer Reoch.

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BBC Local Radio is handing the airwaves to farmers across England this Thursday as part of a full-day farming special for BBC Farmwatch.

The initiative will run for 24 hours across all 39 BBC Local Radio stations, highlighting the people, stories and challenges behind British farming today.
From sunrise milking to late-night harvesting, the broadcasts will give listeners a first-hand account of life on the land, featuring stories from every corner of the country.
Special programming will be led by Harriet Cowan, known for her work on Clarkson’s Farm, and The Great British Bake Off’s Mike Wilkins. Together they’ll host a live show on each BBC Local Radio station, sharing updates and speaking with farmers working in fields, barns and dairies.
One of the highlights will be ‘Combine-Cam’ – a live video feed from a combine harvester allowing audiences to follow the harvest in real-time and interact with the farmers mid-field.
Features will include:
* Jo Lawrence in Herefordshire, who took over her family’s 200-acre farm aged just 17 and now manages more than 1,500 sheep and cattle.* A look into the impact of farm fires in the East and West Midlands.* A profile of a fifth-generation wool farmer in County Durham.* A 12-hour live outside broadcast from a Somerset farm that also makes gelato.
Chris Burns, Head of Local Audio Commissioning at the BBC, said: “Farming communities are the lifeblood of this country and we’re proud that BBC Local can once again bring their real stories to our audiences.”
Farmwatch will also extend to BBC Sounds, BBC News, and even make its way into The Archers on BBC Radio 4, where characters in Ambridge will be shown tuning into their local Farmwatch broadcast.
BBC Farmwatch starts Thursday 7 August on all BBC Local Radio stations and on BBC Sounds.

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When it comes to entertainment, we’re all faced with a myriad of choices, writes Michael Ireland, Radiocentre Director of External Affairs.
Every day we make countless conscious (and subconscious) decisions based on a huge array of factors and external influences. Yet there’s still something special about the unique connection a listener has with their favourite radio station. That live human connection and companionship is an enduring element that cannot be replicated by an algorithm.
While most listeners intuitively grasp the reasons why they tune in again and again, they aren’t necessarily aware of the significant public value that the commercial radio sector provides. In order to shine a light on this, Radiocentre’s new Commercial Radio: A Force for Good report highlights the number of ways commercial stations all over the country provide remarkable public value to audiences. 
One person who really does recognise the vital role played by commercial radio is Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport. As we launched our new report, she remarked that “stations have unique connections with their listeners, drive economic growth in our creative economy, and provide advertisers with trusted environments for their campaigns.” 
The Culture Secretary is absolutely right and underpinning these positive attributes is trust. When we asked them, almost two thirds of listeners told us they are concerned about the amount of misleading or false information presented as news on other channels, particularly social media. Radio stands out as the most trusted of all media channels, with 69% of our listeners trusting its news to be factual and true, compared to just 27% for social media. 
Crucially, at a time when news avoidance is on the rise, radio’s appeal as a news source has actually grown – 40% of respondents to our study reported relying more on radio for news and current affairs than they did in the past and it’s even more pronounced for younger (16-34 year olds) listeners.
Trust in radio isn’t just valued by listeners – it is also paramount for advertisers seeking brand safe environments for their campaigns. The fact that radio content is regulated to prevent harm and offence provides reassurance for advertisers, while Radiocentre’s dedicated clearance team also do their part by ensuring that scripts comply with the latest content rules and standards before ads go to air. 
Regular commercial radio listeners will also recognise the important ways throughout the year that stations support charity initiatives. Whether that’s donating valuable airtime to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) campaigns or raising money directly for good causes that support local communities, broadcasters help to raise millions of pounds every year.  
Alongside this positive charitable impact, the industry makes an important contribution to the wider economy, supporting over 12,000 jobs. Revenues also remain strong at £737m last year. This is all part of a great success story for our sector, yet challenges undoubtedly lie ahead – listening habits continue to evolve, discussions on BBC Charter review are set to begin later this year and new powers supporting the radio sector that stem from the Media Act have still yet to be implemented. 
Given this background it is especially important to provide policy makers with a reminder of the enduring public value role of commercial radio and audio. This evidence enables us to make an even more compelling case with both government and Ofcom to ensure that the operating framework remains relevant. This will help secure the future of commercial radio, allowing broadcasters to continue to deliver for audiences and remain a force for good across the UK. 

Download Commercial Radio: A Force for Good here. A summary version of the report is here.

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Young passengers on LNER trains can now enjoy a dedicated children’s podcast, available during their journey or online.
The new ‘LNER Kids Club’ podcast is packed with stories, games and behind-the-scenes interviews tailored to younger listeners. It’s designed to keep children entertained and informed as they travel on the East Coast route.
Passengers can access the podcast onboard by scanning the QR code on the back of their seat or listen on all major podcast platforms.
There are currently three episodes, with contributions from LNER train drivers, station staff, British Transport Police and even LNER’s Managing Director David Horne. All are answering questions from curious young interviewers asking about life on the railway and the range of roles behind the scenes.
The show is hosted by Emma-Louise Amanshia and Lauren Underwood from Fun Kids, who said it had been “an amazing experience” to meet those working across LNER and some of its youngest passengers.
Stuart from LNER said: “We’re delighted to be offering our younger passengers an exciting new way to make the most of their LNER adventures.”
The first two episodes are live now and can be streamed both on and off the train.

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Talk presenter James Whale has died aged 74, following a long illness. He had been living with cancer for several years.
Talk confirmed the news today, describing the broadcaster as a titan of the industry whose influence spanned more than six decades.
An on-air obituary was read by presenter Mike Graham, who called James “a pioneer of late night radio” and credited him with helping shape the modern talk format in the UK.
“James began his remarkable career in the early 1970s when he pioneered a new kind of radio in Britain, the late night shock jock phone-in,” said Mike. “By the late 1980s, the James Whale radio show had become a cultural phenomenon, broadcasting every weekend on ITV.”
James became a household name through his distinctive broadcasting style, later hosting programmes across ITV, Sky and the BBC, as well as returning to his radio roots at talkRADIO in 2016. He also appeared on *Celebrity Big Brother*, attracting a new generation of fans.
In 2006, James publicly shared his kidney cancer diagnosis, later founding Kidney Cancer UK and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds. He was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours last year in recognition of his contribution to broadcasting and charity.
Dennie Morris, Director of Audio at News Broadcasting, said: “James was the godfather of speech radio, and there will never be another like him.”
Earlier this month, James recorded a final interview from his home in Kent with long-time friend Nigel Farage, reflecting on his career and his views on the changing media and political landscape.
Talk said James would be remembered not only as a broadcaster but also as “a companion, a provocateur, and a good friend”.

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CountryLine Radio has announced that Paul Ogletree is joining its on-air team to host a new weekend show.

Paul will present a high-energy mix of 90s favourites and upbeat country tracks designed for weekend listening, marking his radio debut with the UK station.
Based in Nashville, Paul is already known to CountryLine audiences through his work on CountryLine TV, where he is a regular face.
John Collins, Head of Radio at CountryLine, said: “Paul brings the perfect energy for our weekend lineup. He’s knowledgeable, relatable and flat-out entertaining.”
CountryLine Radio broadcasts on DAB in London and is also available on smart speakers, the CountryLine app, TuneIn and online.
The station is part of the wider CountryLine Media network, which connects country music fans across the UK and beyond.

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