A new digital radio station playing exclusively British and Northern Irish music is set to launch in early November.
GB Music Radio is being launched by GB Media Ltd, the company behind GB News, with Paul Coyte returning to music radio to host weekday breakfast, Rick Houghton on Drive, and Nana Akua presenting weekend mornings.
The station will operate 24 hours a day under the strapline “All British, All Day”, playing music spanning six decades, with every track performed by an artist from Great Britain or Northern Ireland, or a band whose members are predominantly British.
Paul and Nana will continue their existing roles at GB News, where Paul is a sports presenter on GB News Breakfast and Nana hosts her own weekend programme.
Paul has previously worked in music radio at Virgin 1215 and Capital Gold, as well as presenting breakfast on local radio in Peterborough.
He said: “Music radio was always my first love from hosting a breakfast show on local radio in Peterborough when I was 21, to the original Virgin 1215 and later Capital Gold.”
Rick Houghton is a well-known presenter in the north-west of England, having worked on most commercial stations in the region over the last 30 years.
Nana, who has worked in radio for more than three decades, said: “There’s nothing like a Great British tune to set you up for the weekend”.
The schedule will also include Great British Party Night on Saturdays, featuring six hours of commercial free music from 7pm until 1am.
Hourly news bulletins will form part of the output, along with regular traffic and travel updates.
GB Music Radio will broadcast on DAB+ in London and other local multiplexes across the UK, and stream nationwide through its own app and website, Nation Player, Radioplayer and TuneIn, with smart speaker access also available.
Chief Revenue Officer Ross Sergeant said: “GB Music Radio gives advertisers something genuinely new: a station built around a single, warm idea that almost everyone in this country can get behind.
“British music is a shared passion that cuts across generations, and we look forward to helping brands become part of the soundtrack to our listeners’ day, from Breakfast with Paul to weekend mornings with Nana.”
