Greatest Hits Radio has launched on FM, AM and DAB in a number of regions across England, with Mark Goodier joining the network for a daily programme.
The former BBC Radio 1, Metro and Smooth Radio presenter will present the mid-morning show, and joins a team of presenters already established on the network.
Here’s how the schedule looks each weekday in England:
6am -10am – Rossie aka Simon Ross
10am – 1pm – Mark Goodier
1pm – 4pm – Andy Crane
4pm – 7pm – Drivetime with Darren Proctor; Rachel New (West Midlands)
7pm -10pm – Rick Houghton
The station promises the biggest songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s with a strapline of ‘The Good Times Sound Like This’, picking up where stations such as Metro 2 Radio, Rock FM 2 and Radio Aire 2 left off last year.
It launched at 6am Monday, opening with David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’. The station is celebrating the anniversary of the birth and death of Bowie all week, with feature tracks from his catalogue of anthems from the 70s, 80s and 90s. In addition, Greatest Hits Radio will also be broadcasting two specially commissioned documentaries paying tribute to the artist, with archive interviews from Bowie himself and contributions from key collaborators.
Mark Goodier told RadioToday he’s looking forward to getting back on the radio each day: “Greatest Hits Radio does exactly what the name describes – it’s the destination for those seeking out the most amazing music from across the decades. Kicking off with Bowie Week, I can’t wait to share my passion for some of the greatest artists of our time with listeners. Hope you’ll join us!”
Programmes and station names in Scotland remain the same.
Greatest Hits Radio Content Director, Andy Ashton said: “We’re really pleased to share our talented line-up of weekday hosts as the newly launched Greatest Hits Network rolls out today. With the biggest and best songs of the 70s, 80s & 90s – at Greatest Hits Radio, the good times really do sound like this!”
RadioToday’s take
This is a great line-up for what promises to be another major network offering from Bauer. Mark Goodier is covering BBC Radio 2 breakfast this week, so two radio shows a day for him will certainly help him get back into regular radio since he left Smooth Radio‘s mid-morning show in 2012 and took a step back at his own company, Wisebuddah, after a stroke.
Greatest Hits Radio is more of a network that a single station, with opt-outs required by Ofcom for Liverpool, the West Midlands and Scotland, although the England offering could be minimised by having a Drivetime show hosted from the West Midlands across the network, instead of two separate programmes. Liverpool’s locally-produced content is provided by Simon Ross broadcasting from Liverpool at breakfast.
In Scotland, all programmes remain separate from 6am till 10pm, so it’s business as usual on the likes of Clyde 2 and West Sound, as these stations, whilst not being renamed today, are very much part of the Greatest Hits Radio Network.
I’m surprised that given this came out of the success of Radio City 2 which was probably more to do with it’s local feel than the music they risk losing listeners there by networking their breakfast show and moving their drive-time presenter to evenings.With the loss of the City name one wonders if this could be the wrong decision.I’m sure some people will enjoy the station but really it’s offering nothing new and in the West Midlands somewhat reducing choice on FM by having yet another station playing the songs many other stations already flog to death anyway.
totally with you , after Rossie is finished at 9 im off to heart 80s. and Rick being moved to evening? Why try and fix something that’s not broken
Oh no where have all my favourite Radio Aire 2 presenters gone on the new Greatest Hits….already missing Shaun from his early slot and now Andy has gone…..sorry Rossi – find your accent too much in the early morning. Bring them back…please say they haven’t left the station. When and where have they moved to. Thank god Darren still there…..yours very upset listener.
Going to miss Andy Crane and Darren Proctor in the morning as that’s when I listen but pleased it’s now nationwide cos of travelling. I’d like to know what happened to Tom Davis, used to like listening to him and a few others!@
More bland and uninspired printing of money by conglomerate media companies.
Another rearrangement of deckchairs?
At least Gold plays some 50’s and 60’s music.If they added more presenters to that station it would be a good listen.This,however is pretty awful and predictable and just makes me yawn-top 10’s at ten wow-all been done before!.
Re ”two radio shows a day”: Mark Goodier has stated that his Greatest Hits show is live from next Monday, so presumably it’s recorded this week while he’s on Radio 2 breakfast: https://twitter.com/markgoodier/status/1082181940940324865
It’s the likes of “Simmo” and DP who made City 2 one of the greatest radio stations. Moving them to the times where they only get listeners dropping in whilst traveling and not keeping them where they do best with daytime listeners who listen for extended periods I think is a BIG MISTAKE!
yes BIG MISTAKE, totally agree with your comments, and to replace rick with Andy Crane……sorry
More middle of the road boredom I’m afraid, Is it so difficult to create a 20th century pop music station that stick does not stick to the same old tracks?
More album tracks and lesser hits please!
Stations with album tracks have been tried (Original, The Coast etc.), and none of them worked commercially.
6 Music is the station for album tracks and lesser played hits.
But not the sort of album tracks and lesser played past hits I want to listen too, 6 music and Radio 2 are now skewed too young!.
Been listening for over 2 weeks now as every other radio played just Xmas tunes and loved the playlist from day one, Now just need Alexa to find this radio station
Great show keep up the good work a lot better music good luck on your first day
Not happy DP has changed to drive time. I use to listen to him every morning when doing my delivery job! Gutted!! ?
Yes like you miss Darren Proctor and Tom Davis. Also they say it’s national now. Well I have just been up to North Yorkshire and could not find it on DAB. And when I get back to East Yorkshire it’s there as it was Viking 2. But the coverage seems strange as sometimes it comes very loud for a few seconds,and also disappears where it was perfect reception on DAB.
For me it gets 9 out of 10. great breakfast show Rossie. will report again after two/three days. but so far so good.
UK RADIO finally makes a move in the right direction…. let’s hope the (typical) listeners appreciate it !
BUT.. who on earth designed/approved that ultra dull washed out GHR logo !?
Better than the solid gold gem one.
Solid Gold Gem Ay EMMMMM, where has beens go to die. And play copious amounts of Phil Collins. Or is that Lincs FM?
Have read through comments and agree with pretty much all of them. It isn’t just the music… I have listened to Radio City 2 10am-6pm for the past six months and became quite of find of DP and Rick Houghton, funny and chatty. I liked the quizes, texting and have had my five minutes of fame when I rang in to take part in Proctor’s Pop Quiz.
I liked also that it was a local Liverpool radio station. I think now it is just going to be like Smooth, Heart, etc radio.
Andy Crane and Mark Goodier not really my cup of tea.
Radio City 2, short but sweet, good while it lasted.
Lucy, Crosby. Xx
Don’t know why the Scottish stations just don’t change and get it over with.
it caught my attention here in Essex on DAB during tests, and it’s kept my attention today with the launch… a line up of presenters, great music from a time I relate to 80’s 90’s, Dawn French on VO’s & a few jingles thrown in, GHR has successfully pulled me in from Global’s Gold offering, which I respect massively but I feel mix has too old a lean on for me & the lack of DJs save for Dibbin & Andrews makes Gold sometimes a bleak, bland listening destination… Global will surely come back with an era tweak for Gold & bring back some on air presence? Same for me with Hits Radio it’s filling a listening hole musically that bridges Heart with Capital and a few older spins, for me the Bauer stations have more likeable playlists… Good luck GHR & Kudos for both GHR & Hits Radio for rolling out on local DAB nationwide…
It’s not the same was looking forward to Darren’s pop quiz at 11.20 this morning and also where’s Pete Price gone to, tuned in at 10 last night like every Sunday and was just playing music…I’ve been a listener for quite a number of years now at Radio City and probably will switch after Rossie in the morning now…..#whythebigchange
According to the schedule Pete Price is back next Sunday at 7pm -10 (if it’s correct),presume if not it will be 10-1.
The daytime content seems ok, good to see Andy and DP retained, but the replacement of Mike Peters in the evening with Rick isn’t an improvement.
For me the essence of these stations was the local feel. Enjoyed listening to Radio City 2 because I felt it related to the area where I am. Nothing against Scotland,the Midlands or the South but if I want National coverage I would listen to Radio 2. Gold went National a while a go and has not really worked. Fear it will be the same for this venture.
Where is Sean Goldsmith, avid listener from breakfast time, then found him in the late slot, could you tell me if he had left the station please. Just found Andy Crane who has his side kick producer Ian they are a very good double act. I have been a loyal followe since Andy Siddell !!! That’s not yesterday ?
Still scheduled 10pm-1am..
No real difference in the music from before,where they are not playing the same music as before.Top acts of the 70’s, missing and just the same songs over and over again.No 60’s.Miss Andy Crane on a morning.Doubt I will listen much,,no idea on what listeners want.
Typing error… ‘of find of’. I meant fond of… Searching for a new radio station. Sniff. Lucy, Crosby. Xx
Glad Mark Matthews has stayed but where’s Tom Davies? One of the original Greatest Hits Network presenters seems to have gone! Shame xx
Not happy at all with the new line up. Andy and Darren were perfect in the mornings. To me, the good times have gone.
It’s a shame that it seems Tom Davies has been dropped from his weekend shows. I used to enjoy listening to him and so many others from the days of Magic, with the station based in Leeds. Magic was a great and much loved local station and most of the presenters from that time seem to have disappeared now. Does anyone know where Ray Rose is now?
Ray Rose is on at 10am every weekday on Vita Radio. Manchester dab + Tunein
Also on All about the 80s on Signal+Wave+Scot Sun 80s weeknights
Sounds friendly and professional so far, but why does every station play all the same old songs over and over. I used to love the era of Magic based in Leeds. A truly local station with presenters who knew about, and lived in the area, now they are all over the country. I loved Magic for the knowledgeable and funny presenters and their chatty style. Most of the loely presenters of the station seem to have disappeared now which is such a shame. I do think Andy Crane and Mark Goodier is a strong daytime line – up however. Does anyone know where Ray Rose is these days?
Hi Roy,Ray Rose is on Swansea Sound,Signal 2 and Pulse 2 from 7pm to 10pm weekdays and also on Signal 2 and Pulse 2 on Sunday 7-10pm and also on Vita Radio Mon-Fri 10-12noon and Saturdays 10am-1pm.
Listened today in the West Mids and I’m quite impressed so far. A good choice of music, lots of songs I knew and liked and the presentation style was fairly low key and relaxed.
I’m not as upset about the loss of Absolute on FM, I find it much more listenable
Alexa found it for me when I went into Amazon Skills and changed my Viking 2 Skills to the Greatest Hits Radio Skills. It is also coming in strong on DAB & 1161.
Where’s connect 4
What a brilliant idea to have a new radio station dedicated to playing top 10 tracks from yesteryear. So unique! Why hasn’t anybody tried this format before now? I mean, we never get to hear top 10 oldies elsewhere, do we. Well done for such an inspiring playlist, Greatest Hits!
Were has rick gone he should be on in the day not tucked away in the evening best dj on the radio bring him back to day time please
Complete waste of time. We need a disco show and a 50 show with Tony Blackburn
Once again a repeat of the last “relaunch” nothing will change except the name .. and we all know what an unmitigated disaster that was
No 50’s or 60’s appear to be on offer either
Also I note that SCOTLAND has once again been left alone which shows that Bauer have back-pedalled on their national station idea
Bauer and Global are just bland
Thank god for the internet
Nothing needs to change, it’s already a successful station in Liverpool.
There are no 50s or 60s on offer because it’s aimed at people aged 35-59.
Excuse me but I am in the age group and love 50’s and particularity 60’s music-I grew up with it!.
“There are no 50s or 60s on offer because it’s aimed at people aged 35-59.”
Good job Classic FM don’t use the same logic when they play the likes of Beethoven isn’t it?
But then they are successful aren’t they?
That isn’t a reasonable analogy, because most of the recordings played on Classic FM are modern (even though they were written before 1900).
That isn’t the same as playing recordings with 1960s production quality.
There’s a reason why the recordings have to be more recent. Think about it!
I must admit I wasn’t expecting to wake up this morning to find someone I have never heard of presenting the Breakfast show. Sadly I can’t say I like his style. So much for the promise of the same presenters you know and love…
I am missing Simmo and Rossie together and also Rick Hougton on drive time. It was the local feel of the station that I loved as well as presenters.
Thought this was a national thing but couldn’t get anything past Stoke on 105.9
Really disappointed
Will it come to Northern Ireland?
Absolutely ridiculous to change OUR radio station, competitions not worth entering anymore, less chance of winning, Andy crane and Mark Goodier ?. I think it’s spoilt OUR radio station, it is no longer OURS. We were told nothing will change. Same dj’s, same times , same fun. Well it’s not is it. Such a shame . Loved this station. Text and rang it most days because it felt like OURS. Local. Sold ur soul radio city. That’s what you have done. And I feel for those dj’s Who have given everything to radio city 2, who have got this station to we’re it is, to be pushed aside is a disgrace. Shame on the decision makers. You have alienated you best dj’s And your most loyal of listeners. Well done ?
We were told “nothing would change” when the former Magic stations became Hallam 2, City 2, Key 2 etc. That did not quite turn out to be the case!
Not one female presenter in the daytime line up. Thought it was 1986 for a moment.
Think yourself lucky. You could have Vanessa Feltz and Zoe Ball!
Wave105 has an all male presenter line-up as well.
So proctors pop quiz is no more….?
Pop quiz has gone.Gutted.
It seems this station is not meant for me as I am 65 no sixties then no me.I use to listen to Rock fm 2 in Blackpool,
In ten years time I could maybe understand it,but I’m not yet sixty but was around in the 60’s so want to hear all the great music.Even if I was a seventies child I would remember all the 60’s oldies being played so I reckon who they are really aiming at,given that there have been some 00’s songs on there is 30-50 which is more what the advertisers want.They should remember a great hit is a great hit even it did come from the 50’s or 60’s.Given this and that quite a few songs have been repeated already i’ll not be staying with this station.
Viking 2 was available in East Yorkshire. Now changed to Greatest Hits. Was promised same DJs etc. And it’s not. Also said it was going Nation Wide. Well while at Scarborough today, tried to find it up there,retuned the DAB car radio,and could not find it. Can anyone say what DAB channel it’s on in North Yorkshire. Also now in some parts of East Yorkshire it now disappears for a few seconds. And sometimes it doubles in high volume for a few seconds. Where when it was Viking 2 it was all ok in East Yorkshire.Now seems if it does not get better I will change stations.
It’s only on the local multiplexes that are owned by Bauer & Arqiva, not on the MuxCo or Wireless Group ones.
North Yorkshire is owned by MuxCo, Humberside is owned by Bauer.
Myself and my team of kitchen staff listened to this station every day…loved the top 10 at 10 and D.P’s quiz…after 2 days of listening we are all gutted that it has changed so much. It got us through the day and we loved D.P’s banter. We are now seriously looking for another channel to keep us company. Very sad day!
The Top 10 at 10 is still there, Mark Goodier is presenting it. He will be live next week (he is doing Radio 2 breakfast this week so recorded on GHR).
Got in the car yesterday and Greatest hits radio was playing drove into Derbyshire and the radio retuned – perfect I thought! All went well until we got back to Sheffield and it won’t tune in. Had a few stutters between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire but zilch for South Yorkshire!
Should have put this one in your top ten predictions now that all the 2 stations have gone your right next up Hits radio all over the country.
The worst move Radio City could have done going to Greatest Hits Radio we need to bring back Radio City 2 for the people of Liverpool with the presenters that we had Rossi Claire Simmo Darren Proctor Rick Houghton they made the radio station bring it back please don’t like this new one
Your right John all city stations that were now #no identity
Cheers Global/Bauer.
Absolutely wonderful
Hello. Great new station and fabulous selection of music. One small bugbear is that Bowie is normally pronounced “Bow”-ie that is Bow as is “Toe” and not “Bow”-ie Bow as in “Sow” as pronounced by Mark (I think) ! I have even heard bowie interviews and he actually refered to his name pronunciation as “Bow”-ie Bow as in “Toe”! Perhaps trivial or down to personal pronunciation but thought I’d mention. Otherwise top class.
Cant believe the powers that be have destroyed radiocity2..a pat on the back…idiots…good times are coming was the adverts leading to this disaster. I wont be listening to this complete and utter drivel…too much…sad sad people destroying the best radio station ever..complete and utter garbage…to much talk and adverts to boot…bye bye….
Hi. Just want to say a big thanks to ALISTAIR and ADRIAN who both were kind enough to reply to my post re RAY ROSE. Thanks guys, I appreciate it. VITA here I come!
Was a big fan of Absolute radio, 105.2 in Birmingham. Sadly its gone DAB. However, Greatest hits radio started to promote itself at the start of the year prior to its launch on January 7th 2019. I listened to the music only broadcasts and have to say I liked what I heard. 70`s 80`s & 90`s even Oasis! Nobody plays Oasis now they split. So I tuned in for the first week and so far I have heard more repeats than a bag of radishes. Being 61 years of age I like the oldies, and the 90`s is about as far as I go. I stumbled across the Xmas top of the pops and didn’t recognise a single act. The station is a breath of fresh air and I will stick with it only because this is all there is in this genre of music. All the best for the future.
If you stay with it chances are you will get more and more disillusioned with the repeats.There’s a whole world of oldies stations on the internet if that does happen,FM is pretty dead if you want variety these days.
Not happy! Bring Darren Proctor and Rick Houghton back!!!
Miss the banter in the mornings with Rossi and Claire now she’s also gone from presenting the Saturday Breakfast show yet again lost a local radio station any suggestions on another station to listen to after the weekly breakfast with Rossi
I suggest you try one of these internet stations-Vita Radio (Which includes some ex Magic presenters),All Oldies Radio from the Hit 45’s group (or one of their other 2 stations) or Solid. Gold Gem AM.These will give you some oldies and personality presenters.There are plenty of other internet music stations but many are just non-stop music.
Andy, DP and Mark changed times , gutted they followed each other and made my day. Dp pop quiz at 11.20. and connect 4 gone. Some of the new presenters need to cheer up. They sound as though they don`t like it either. I counted 10 adverts in a row, what the ….
They only ever give 2 or 3 travel incidents which is nuts for a national station. Sheer bloody cr*p. The songs are not bad, but prodictible and repeated. The presenters sound a bit bored. Too many ads (I counted 10 commercials in one set). The schedule could do with stateside produced American music centred oldies show.
Am soooo missing Andy Crane in the mornings, he had much better play lists