New local radio station 'Central Radio' to launch in Blackpool with Danny Matthews, Martin Emery, Dom Molloy, Lyndsey Kerr on lineup

Central Radio launches on DAB+ in September and will offer variety of music from the 70s to present day, plus a wide range of local news, sport and information.

The station will be available as part of the switch on of the new Blackpool DAB multiplex next month. Listeners will need to rescan their devices to find Central, along with other stations not currently available.

UK commercial radio multi award-winning presenter, Danny Matthews, will host the station’s flagship breakfast show on weekdays between 6am and 10am.

Danny has more than 30 years of commercial radio experience under his belt, beginning with a stint at Piccadilly Radio (Key 103) in the late 1980s. He has worked at stations across the North West, including spells at Rock FM, Magic, Real Radio and Capital Gold, plus a decade long stint as the host of the highly popular ‘The Bay Breakfast’ in Lancaster, which later became Heart Breakfast following a rebrand by owners, Global.

Over the last few years, Danny has specialised in the live entertainment circuit, working at scores of premium events as a stage host and Master of Ceremonies.

Joining Danny on the schedule is Martin Emery, who joins the line-up initially for weekend mid-mornings. He been a popular presenter at a string of stations across the North West for more than 30 years, including a hugely successful four-year stint on the breakfast show on Bolton and Bury’s Tower FM, a spell on Drive on Warrington’s Wire FM, as well as shows on the former Wish FM, Imagine FM, The Bay and Radio Wave.

Dom Molloy will host Drivetime – he previously hosted the Evening Show at The Revolution, as well as fronting shows at stations in Warrington and Chorley.

Former breakfast host on The Bay, Lyndsey Kerr, will present Weekend Breakfast, with Nathan Hill hosting the weekday mid-morning slot, Steve James weekend lunchtimes, and James MacDonald weekend drive.

Station Director Nathan Hill said: “These are exciting times for broadcasting in our town. Research has proven that listeners and businesses love to ‘support local’, and we hope that Central Radio will become the new ‘local’ radio station which will be the first choice for great music and local information for our listeners in Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde.”

“We’ve spent a great deal of time researching what our audience want and it’s simple; great music and genuinely local programming from our area.’

“I was born and raised in Blackpool, and I’m passionate about the area. When we lost our local radio service with the takeover and nationalisation of our only commercial station in 2020, it left a hole in local broadcasting that has never been filled."

Central Radio will broadcast on DAB+ to a local audience of approximately 260,000 people across Blackpool and surrounding areas, and will also broadcast via a dedicated app, online and via home connected devices and smart speakers. Listeners can find out more about the new station at www.central.radio.