MFR axes Jodie at Breakfast, will now share same programmes as Edinburgh’s Forth 1, Dundee’s Tay FM and Aberdeen’s Northsound 1
MFR's last regular locally-produced programming will end at the start of next year after it emerged that Jodie McCluskey's breakfast show is being axed.
The popular morning presenter's show, which is broadcast from MFR's Scorguie base in Inverness from 6am to 10am every weekday, will be ending at the end of December.
Her show will be replaced by Forth 1's Boogie in the Morning, which will now be broadcast across four Scottish stations - including MFR. The change also means that Northsound 1’s morning show with Jeff and Lauren will also be axed to make way for the Forth 1 production.
The move is part of wider changes within MFR's parent company Bauer Media Audio UK's Hits Radio network, which will mean that MFR, Forth 1, Tay FM and Northsound 1 will broadcast and share the same programme schedule each and every day from the start of next year.
It is not known what the changes will mean for the local news and travel bulletins broadcast on the station.
The changes will also result in the end of Greigsy's existing 10am to 1pm weekday programme, with other existing shows in the afternoon and evening slots each getting an extra hour on air and shuffling their start and end times in order to offset the loss of his three-hour show. Greigsy will continue to broadcast his weekend shows, however.
Tay FM’s existing breakfast show presenters, who are being displaced by Boogie in the Morning, will also be moving to an earlier time slot of 4am to 6am, which will be broadcast across all four stations including MFR.
Confirming the news. a statement from Victoria Easton-Riley, content director for the Hits Radio portfolio in Scotland, said: “Audiences across Scotland love Boogie and Arlene. Their Saturday show is hugely popular and is Scotland’s most listened to weekend radio show.
“Also, their Forth 1 Breakfast show Boogie in the Morning is welcoming its biggest number of listeners for seven years, as well as bagging national awards, so I’m delighted that we’re able to bring it to more of our listeners across the country each weekday morning.
“I’m equally excited for our brand-new Scotland-wide early breakfast show from Gregor and Lynsey, who currently host Tay FM breakfast and a national weekend show across our stations. Bringing overnighters and early risers the biggest hits and the biggest throwbacks, it’ll be the much-needed injection of energy for the start of the day.”
She added: “We share our huge thanks with Jodie, Jeff and Lauren for all they’ve contributed. Each brilliant broadcasters, we wish them all the very best on their last few weeks with us and for everything in the future.”
The new MFR schedule from January will be:
Monday – Thursday
4am-6am - Gregor & Lynsey
6am-10am – Boogie in the Morning
10am – 2pm – Grant Thomson
2pm – 6pm – Garry Spence
6pm – 10pm - Callum Gallacher
10pm – 1am – Amber
Friday
4am-6am - Gregor & Lynsey
6am-10am – Boogie in the Morning
10am – 2pm – Grant Thomson
2pm – 6pm – Garry Spence
6pm – 10pm – The GBXperience
10pm – 1am – Callum Gallacher – Hits Party
Saturday
6am-9am - Amber
9am – 12pm – Boogie and Arlene
12-2pm – Grant Thomson
2pm – 6pm – The Big Saturday Football Show
6pm – 10pm – Greigsy’s Saturday Night Anthems
10pm – 1am – Callum Gallacher – Hits Party
Sunday
6am-9am – Gavin Pearson
9am – 12pm – Greigsy
12-4pm – Gregor & Lynsey
4-7pm – The Hits UK Chart
7pm – 10pm – Garry Spence’s Sunday Night Anthems
10pm – 1am – Amber
