A new afternoon line-up has been announced by BBC Radio Leeds in the wake of Martin Kelner’s departure.
Drive Time presenter Andrew Edwards will move to Kelner’s former lunchtime slot (between 12 and 3pm), with the show becoming a phone-in.
Andrew Edwards
Edwards, who lives in West Yorkshire with his wife and daughter, started working for BBC Radio Leeds in 1993 having joined the BBC as a news trainee in 1989. He began his career as a reporter for the Hull Daily Mail.
Meanwhile Gayle Lofthouse, who currently presents on Saturday mornings on BBC Radio Leeds, is moving to the Drive Time slot between 3 and 6pm.
Her show will be a “mix of music, chat and all the news, sport, traffic and weather you need at the end of the working day”.
The changes will kick in next month.
Sanjiv Buttoo, managing editor of BBC Radio Leeds, said: “Andrew is one of the most familiar voices on BBC Radio Leeds and a broadcaster and journalist of exceptional quality. Our aim is for the lunch time show to become a conversation with the whole of West Yorkshire.
Gayle Lofthouse
“Yorkshire folk are known for their forthright views and for not being afraid to share them, so I’m looking forward to some lively discussions.
“Gayle is a great talent who has been around commercial radio in the region for years. She’s added wit and warmth to our Saturday breakfast programme and will bring those qualities to Drive Time. I’m sure our listeners will love ending the working day with her.”
Kelner this week wrote a scathing blog post detailing his sacking last week and bemoaning the state of BBC local radio.
