Capital Confirms Tarrant Is To Leave Breakfast Show
Capital Radio has confirmed that Chris Tarrant is to leave his job as presenter of the group’s flagship weekday breakfast show after seventeen years.
Tarrant’s departure will come as little surprise to some in the industry as his current contract expires in December. He will be replaced by former Big Breakfast presenter, Johnny Vaughan, who has signed a three year deal to present the breakfast show from Spring 2004.
The loss of Tarrant could have a significant impact on the station. The Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? presenter was reportedly paid £1 million last November to stay on for another year and is credited with bringing in around 15% of Capital’s profits through the breakfast show, which attracts 1.65 million listeners.
Capital Radio chief executive, David Mansfield, said: “This has been an incredibly important decision for us. Chris Tarrant has been with the company for 17 years and he’s certainly an impressive act to follow.”
Keith Pringle, managing director of 95.8 Capital FM, added: “We’re delighted to have signed Johnny to carry on the tradition of the most successful breakfast show in London the Johnny Vaughan way. He has all the ingredients for a great breakfast show presenter. He’s modern, he’s down to earth, he’s funny and spontaneous and most importantly a real London guy who fits in perfectly with the new focus for Capital.”
Vaughan has also been lined up to host another series of Johnny Vaughan Live on BBC3 and is set to present a new radio debate show on BBC Radio Five Live. He said: “To be asked to fill CT’s big headphones, and trust me they are big headphones, is an honour and I am thrilled to take on this challenge.”
Capital Radio has been fighting to stave off increasing competition in the notoriously difficult London market. Earlier this month the group revealed a series of changes that will see Capital 95.8 FM repositioned to target the lucrative 25 to 34 year-old audience more directly (see 95.8 Capital FM Repositions For Youth Audience).
The latest RAJAR listening figures for the three months to June 2003 show that Capital 95.8 FM saw its weekly reach decline by 4.9% year on year 2,624,000, down from 2,760,000 in the same period the previous year.
However, analysis of listening trends over a longer four year period shows that Capital 95.8 FM appears to have stemmed a gradual decline in its weekly reach. The station still remains head and shoulders above its closest rivals in the London area.
The ongoing downturn in the advertising market has taken its toll on Capital Radio, which is recently announced it is expecting a 4% fall in like for like airtime advertising revenues for the year ending 30 October (see UK Radio Groups See Slight Upturn In Uncertain Market).
Capital Radio: 020 7766 6000 www.capitalradiogroup.co.uk
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