Capital Confirms Forbes To Quit Flagship London Station
Capital Radio has confirmed that Emma Forbes is to quit its flagship London station just weeks after the launch of her new breakfast show.
Forbes, who joined Capital 95.8 FM just seven months ago from rival London station Heart 106.2, has asked to be released from her contract after reportedly being told she was not guaranteed a place on the new Johnny Vaughan breakfast show.
The radio group said in a statement: “Emma was signed to Capital to co-present weekend breakfast. However, she has never made any secret of her desire to co-present the 95.8 Capital FM weekday breakfast show.”
It continued: “Whilst no decision has been made to date on Johnny Vaughan’s breakfast team, Emma has asked to be released from her contract to concentrate on other broadcasting opportunities.”
Forbes left her job presenting Heart 106.2’s breakfast show alongside Jono Coleman last April and almost immediately announced her desire to take over from Chris Tarrant to present Capital Radio’s high profile breakfast slot.
However, Capital announced in September that Tarrant would be replaced by former Big Breakfast presenter, Johnny Vaughan, who has signed a three year deal to present the breakfast show from Spring 2004 (see Capital Confirms Tarrant Is To Leave Breakfast Show).
Capital Radio has undergone a number of structural changes over the last few months and veteran programming executive, Keith Pringle, has taken charge of the flagship London station in a bid to increase listening (see Capital Shakes Up Management To Win Back Listeners).
However, the latest RAJAR results for the three months to September 2003 brought bad news to Capital 95.8 FM, which saw its weekly reach decline by 13.9% year on year to 2,269,000, down from 2,636,000 in the same period the previous year (see RAJAR Results Q3 2003: Heart Challenges Capital For Top Spot).
Capital’s arch rival Heart 106.2 FM is now London’s most listened to commercial radio station in terms of share of listening. Heart’s managing director, Steve Parkinson, recently told NewsLine that bringing an end to Capital’s thirty year reign at the top was particularly significant because it happened sooner than had been expected (see NewsLine Interview: Steve Parkinson – Managing Director Heart 106.2).
Capital Radio: 020 7766 6000 www.capitalradiogroup.co.uk
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