News UK has announced the latest presenter signings to its planned new radio station venture, Times Radio.
Among those to be signed are Aasmah Mir, Stig Abell, Luke Jones, Jenny Kleeman, Matt Chorley and Cathy Newman.
Times Radio presenter shows
Times Radio is the new national digital news radio station bringing together The Times and The Sunday Times reporting with the speech radio and podcasting experience of Wireless, the company behind talkSPORT, talkRADIO and Virgin Radio.
Leading the line-up and waking up listeners to informative discussion, quality news and compelling analysis at breakfast from Monday to Thursday will be Sony Gold award-winning broadcaster Aasmah Mir and broadcaster and editor of the Times Literary Supplement Stig Abell.
Mir has most recently presented Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4; and was previously co-presenter of BBC Radio 5 Live Drive. Abell has presented Front Row on BBC Radio 4 and hosts the TLS podcast.
Luke Jones, who has presented numerous news programmes for BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service including PM and The World at One, will join forces with investigative journalist, author and documentary-maker Jenny Kleeman, who has reported for Vice, Unreported World and Panorama as well as hosting the podcast The Immaculate Deception.
They will host breakfast from Friday to Sunday, getting listeners up-to-speed with the biggest stories of the day; and setting up the weekend with intelligent conversation and features.
Red Box on the air
Times Red Box editor Matt Chorley is one of the most respected political journalists operating in Westminster; providing insider analysis for the Red Box newsletter.
The Red Box podcast recently won the best news podcast in the Society of Editors’ Press Awards.
In his new mid-morning show Matt, who also moonlights as a stand-up comedian, will bring events in Westminster to life with an array of political guests and expert commentators.
Respected broadcaster and the first female main presenter of Channel 4 News, Cathy Newman, will present the primetime Times Radio drive news programme on Friday.
During her career Cathy has exposed political scandals and high-profile sexism. She will bring her thorough and engaging journalism to Times Radio as she analyses the big events of the day.
John Pienaar, one of the most familiar voices in UK broadcasting, was announced as drive presenter Monday to Thursday earlier this year.
Radio essential during lockdown
Wireless CEO Scott Taunton said: “The current coronavirus emergency has demonstrated how important trusted quality journalism is to people; as they seek to avoid clickbait and sensationalism.
“Times Radio will deliver balanced and impartial news to listeners in a warm, useful and engaging way.
“There has never been a more important time to launch Times Radio. We’re working hard, within the government’s guidelines, to prepare for launch this summer.”
Tim Levell, Programme Director of Times Radio, said: “When we announced John Pienaar as the host of Drive a few weeks ago, we purposefully set the bar high.
“With these new signings we’ve maintained an absolute focus on quality broadcasting. The presenters for Times Radio have a range of broadcast backgrounds – itself a plus – and they are all outstanding talents.
“I’m convinced they will delight listeners with their warmth, expertise and passion for bringing news stories to life…”