Hits Radio added to London DAB radio multiplex

Hits Radio, the new near-national service from Bauer Media in Manchester, has launched in London with test transmissions.

Hits Radio will replace Key 103 in Manchester on June 4th and provide a national version for broadcast on most local multiplexes around the UK to achieve almost nationwide coverage.

It is now broadcasting a ‘coming soon’ message on 27 multiplexes across the UK and more will be added over the coming days and weeks.

Key 103 will end normal programmes on Friday ahead of the launch of Hits Radio 10 days later. The station will launch with a new schedule including Gethin Jones, Gemma Atkinson and Dave Vitty on breakfast, Mike Toolan on mornings, Debbie Mac on afternoons, Wes Butters on Drive and Sarah-Jane Crawford in the evening.

Here are the best bits of Key 103 from the last 20 years, as posted by the station today:

Areas carrying test transmissions from today

London
Birmingham
Bristol
Cambridge
Cardiff & Newport
Cornwall
Coventry
Derbyshire
Essex
Exeter & Torbay

North Devon
Herts, Beds & Bucks
Kent
Leicestershire
Norfolk
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Peterborough
Plymouth
Reading & Basingstoke
South Hampshire
Sussex
Swindon
West Wilts
Wolverhampton
Northern Ireland

London's ready for the launch of #HitsRadio on Monday. Distribution is via local muxes, as @RoyMartin said it would be. It's been popping up on other muxes all over the country. pic.twitter.com/iuQ9DxVBQd

— Capital M (@CapitalMblog) May 24, 2018

It's not the end, it's just the beginning! ?? #HitsRadio pic.twitter.com/rORnq1XZrB

— Key 103 (@KEY103) May 24, 2018

It’s just appeared on my radio in #bristol #hitsradio @davidvitty pic.twitter.com/ZQWWkf3gbb

— tim stone (@timbouk) May 24, 2018

End of the @KEY103 era tomorrow… But it's ok we've got #Picadilly261 and #HitsRadio cakes! #Radio #Manchester pic.twitter.com/B4Rz1umLZ2

— Ian Hamilton (@IanHamRadio) May 24, 2018