Heart Yorkshire radio beats into life

Heart Yorkshire, the region’s latest radio station, beat into life this week - pumping out pop hits and celebrity guest presenters, writes Graham Walker.
Heart Yorkshire Breakfast presenters Emma Lenney and Dixie welcomed listeners to the new station.Heart Yorkshire Breakfast presenters Emma Lenney and Dixie welcomed listeners to the new station.
Heart Yorkshire Breakfast presenters Emma Lenney and Dixie welcomed listeners to the new station.

It turned the fountains red in Sheffield and Leeds to announce its arrival.

A plane also flew a banner in the sky above the county, reading ‘Heart is here’.

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Rotherham’s own Sony Award winner Dixie - David Dixon - was the first voice on the new station, filling the airwaves left by Real Radio.

Cheers! Heart Yorkshire Breakfast presenters Emma Lenney and Dixie toast the launch of the new station.Cheers! Heart Yorkshire Breakfast presenters Emma Lenney and Dixie toast the launch of the new station.
Cheers! Heart Yorkshire Breakfast presenters Emma Lenney and Dixie toast the launch of the new station.

He and new co-host, Emma Lenney, welcomed listeners to Heart Breakfast, from 6am.

The first song played was Happy, by Pharrell Williams.

Heart, the UK’s biggest commercial radio station with 9.3m listeners, has the tagline ‘more music variety’.

Bosses say it is committed to playing familiar feel good music from artists like Bruno Mars, Olly Murs,Black Eyed Peas, Michael Jackson, Madonna and Take That.

High flying Heart Yorkshire announce tthe launch of the new station.High flying Heart Yorkshire announce tthe launch of the new station.
High flying Heart Yorkshire announce tthe launch of the new station.
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Its all-star celebrity presenters include some of the UK’s most popular presenters and entertainers, including Emma Bunton, Stephen Mulhern, Emma Willis, Jenni Falconer and Mark Wright.

Money-can’t-buy tickets and intimate gigs are also promised, which will allow Heart listeners to get up close and personal with some of the world’s biggest music stars. Recent gigs have included Robbie Williams, Bruno Mars and Gary Barlow.

Following Dixie and Emma from 10am, is Toby Anstis with his daytime morning show, Monday to Saturday.

Toby launched a £100,000 jackpot competition, Who’s on Heart? - where listeners have to correctly guess the names of three secret celebrities who say, Who’s on Heart?

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He is followed by Matt Wilkinson, weekday afternoons from 1pm. From 4pm it’s Rich Williams, with top tunes, all the region’s news, traffic and travel live from Yorkshire, from 4pm

Taking over at 7pm is Roberto who will keep listeners company into the evening, while Jenny Francis will help Yorkshire unwind on The Late Show, weekdays from 10pm.

Ian Brannan completes the local line-up as the host of Saturday afternoons from 1pm - 5pm.

Every Friday and Saturday evening, Mark Wright will kick-start the weekend with two hours of the biggest and best dance floor-fillers of all time with Club Classics from 7pm to 9pm.

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Dixie said: “Launching Heart Yorkshire with Emma was an absolute privilege. I know the listeners are going to love what we have in store for them. Things just got bigger and better. And, ‘Who’s On Heart’, what an incredible competition! I want to see that £100,000 prize money in a Yorkshire pocket!”

Co-host Emma added, “Dixie and I had a great time on Heart Breakfast this morning. I love the interaction with listeners and asking the pilot of the ‘Heart Plane’ to fly over my house was fun, though I don’t think he took any notice of me! Can’t wait for tomorrow!”

* Tune in to Heart on 96-107 FM, DAB digital radio, at www.heart.co.uk, on the Heart app, on Sky channel 387 and Freesat channel 516.

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