Collins Goes From Virgin To Smooth

Former Virgin Radio presenter Martin Collins has been lined up as the next presenter of GMG Radio’s Smooth drive-time show.

It is expected that Collins will begin broadcasting on Smooth on March 26, as part of a major revamp of the station’s daytime line-up.

Last week GMG announced that Graham Dene had been recruited to front the breakfast show on Smooth (see GMG Radio Wants Dene For A Smooth Breakfast), with the new line-up taking shape as Smooth moves from playing jazz and soul to an easy-listening vibe aimed at the over-50s (see Smooth FM Format Change Gets Ofcom Go-Ahead).

Collins, who was replaced by Suggs on Virgin last year, is expected to sign a contract by the end of this week.

GMG revealed at the end of January that it would be rebranding its newly acquired Saga stations (see Saga For Guardian Media Group) as Smooth Radio in the middle of March, giving it a total of six Smooth stations (see GMG’s Saga Stations Go Smooth).

At the last RAJARs, Smooth FM London had a 1.5% share of listening, whilst Heart 106.2FM, the top London station, had a 7.1% share (see Heart 106.2 FM Retains Top Spot In London).

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