Breakfast show axed as former-Rock FM station drops last local output

Leanne Campbell and Joel Ross are the breakfast show presenters Pic: Hits Radio Lancashire — Leanne Campbell and Joel Ross’s Breakfast Show is being dropped

The former Rock FM will soon lose its last locally-presented show.

Hits Radio Lancashire has confirmed it plans to drop the Breakfast show presented by Joel Ross and Leanne Campbell in its latest cost-cutting move. In its place, the 6-10am slot will be filled by the national show which is already broadcast on much of the Hits Radio network.

The show was the last standing locally produced one as owners Bauer introduced increasing amounts of national broadcasts onto its regional networks.

It was already a simulcast between Hits Radio Liverpool – which was rebranded from Radio City at the same time the historic Rock FM title was axed – following a previous cut in 2023. On that occasion, each station dropped a co-presenter and began a single show with Leanne and Joel which is currently simulcast on both stations.

However, the pair will broadcast together for the final time on June 6. After that, a single national Breakfast show will be broadcast on all of Bauer’s regional Hits Radio stations.

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.”

The network insists that it will continue to broadcast local news and traffic bulletins but is reducing its production to seven “key centres” across the UK. Of these, just one will be based in the North West.

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