Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Award-winning broadcaster and campaigner Anne Diamond is joining Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Berkshire's weekday team to head up a new mid-morning show for the county's radio station.

The move, which sees Anne broadcasting Monday to Friday between 10.00am and 1.00pm, confirms the station's commitment to its mid-morning audience right across the week, with TV and radio legend Henry Kelly launching a brand new Saturday show and Debbie McGee continuing to entertain listeners across Berkshire on Sundays.

More than 130,000 people across Berkshire tune into the station and persuading Anne to make the move from weekends to weekdays will help continue the station's enduring appeal.

From Tuesday 1 September 2009, Anne will be bringing her upbeat and engaging style to the weekday mid-morning slot, giving listeners the latest consumer news and money-saving tips, delving deep into Berkshire's rich history, discussing the day's news and issues and, most importantly, giving people a chance to voice their opinions in the midday phone-in.

From Saturday 5 September, Radio Berkshire presenter and former Game For A Laugh and Going For Gold host Henry Kelly will head up a new show from 9.00am to 12noon.

The show will focus on what's happening in Berkshire each weekend, with a particular emphasis on the characters involved in local sport with great stories to tell.

Talking about her new programme, Anne said: "I am delighted to be joining the weekday line-up and I hope listeners will phone in to share their thoughts and opinions on a wide variety of topics of the day."

Marianne Bell, Editor of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Berkshire, added: "Anne has been entertaining audiences in Berkshire with intelligent speech-based local radio on a Saturday for six months.

"The audience feedback has been brilliant and I'm thrilled that she is now joining our weekday output.

"Anne may have a high-profile career but her natural curiosity in local life, her sense of humour, and her openness to share her own experiences of family, work and home, makes her a perfect fit for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Berkshire.

"Mornings on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Berkshire are an exciting place to be seven days a week.

"Henry Kelly will be bringing his special brand of wit and storytelling to a Saturday whilst Debbie McGee brightens up a Sunday."

As one of the first faces of breakfast TV, and then continuing her famous partnership with Nick Owen for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One's Good Morning With Anne and Nick, Anne has enjoyed a wide and varied career which has seen her present programmes across network radio and TV and writing regular columns for national newspapers such as the Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, The Sun and Daily Express.

Anne is equally well-known and respected for her Back To Sleep campaign to combat cot death in the UK, as well as her work as Patron of The National Obesity Forum.

Anne Diamond joins Mid Morning on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Berkshire, 95.4 and 104.1 FM, from Tuesday 1 September 2009, 10.00am-1.00pm.

Notes to Editors

Anne Diamond is available for interview.

HB