Regional shows on some of the country’s most popular radio stations are set to be scrapped. Heart, Smooth and Capital brands will reportedly be exclusively broadcast from London as part of a new ‘Nations strategy’ from owners Global.
Beloved north west shows including ‘The Rob Ellis Show’ with Rob, Rachel and Wingman on Capital are among those to be replaced by a London-based broadcast, it is understood. There are around 20 regional programmes in England across the Heart, Smooth and Capital brands.
Local station XS Manchester, which broadcasts a mix of indie and alternative music and champions local up-and-coming artists is reported to be axed completely in the move and rebranded to Radio X 90s.
The Manchester Evening News understands XS Manchester will close in around ‘five weeks’ time. RadioToday reports that the on-air changes will be made on February 24, 2025, and more details will be released prior to this date.
In a video posted on X, XS DJ Jim Salveson said that now was ‘not the time for self-pity’.
“I’ve been really lucky over the last seven years to work on XS Manchester,” he told followers. “Do something that’s really rare in radio, play the music that I wanted to play.”
Nigel ‘Wingman’ Clucas, who presents a Capital show with Rachel Burke-Davies and Rob Ellis
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
He went on to thank the bosses at XS, promoters, and artists, adding he had been ‘privileged’ to support ‘some of the best talent inside and outside of Manchester’.
“This isn’t the time for wallowing in self-pity, there will be plenty of time for that later,” he continued. “It is a time of celebration, and for the next five weeks, I get to carry on doing this.”
Fynn Birch, a local musician, said he was ‘gutted’ by the news of XS Manchester’s closure. “They’ve proper pushed me in this first year,” he said. “It’s really important for new artists to have stations like this to champion us.
“They’ve still got reach as well, they’ve got a lot of listeners and I’ve got so much feedback from people.”
Global has been approached for comment.