Timeline of the Heart Radio Network facts for kids

Heart is a popular radio network in the UK. It has 22 stations that play 'hot adult contemporary' music. This means they play a mix of popular songs from today and recent years. Global, a big media company, runs the Heart network. This timeline shows important moments in Heart's history.

The Early Years: 1990s

Heart's First Broadcasts

• 1994
  • On September 6, Heart FM started broadcasting in the West Midlands. It played soft, easy-listening music.

• 1995
  • On September 5, Heart 106.2 launched in London. It played a more upbeat 'Hot AC' music style.

• 1996
  • Heart FM in the West Midlands changed its music style to 'Hot AC', like the London station.

Growing Bigger: 2000s

New Stations and Changes

• 2005
  • On August 29, Heart 106 replaced another station called Century 106 in the East Midlands.

• 2006
  • Simon Beale started hosting the late-night show during the week.
  • On December 15, Heart became available on Freeview, a TV service. This meant more people could listen to the station.

• 2007
  • On June 25, the company that owned Heart, Chrysalis Radio, sold the Heart stations to Global Radio. Global Radio is a very large media company.

• 2008
  • On April 28, Heart stations across the country started sharing some of their shows. This meant that shows from Heart 106.2 in London were played on other Heart stations during quieter times. Local shows were mainly kept for mornings and early evenings.

• 2009
  • On January 5, many radio stations like Chiltern Radio and Hereward FM became part of the Heart network. They were all rebranded as Heart stations.
  • On March 23, even more stations, including Fox FM and Essex FM, also joined the Heart network and changed their names to Heart.
  • In May, a company called Orion Media bought Heart 106 in the East Midlands from Global Radio. Orion Media was allowed to keep using the Heart name and play shows from London.
  • On June 13, Spice Girls singer Emma Bunton started hosting a pre-recorded show on Heart every Saturday afternoon.
  • On June 22, more stations like Invicta FM and Southern FM were rebranded as Heart.

Expanding and Changing: 2010s

More Stations Join and Shows Change

• 2010
  • On June 21, Global Radio announced big plans to reduce the number of local Heart stations. They wanted to go from 33 stations down to 15. This meant more shows would come from London, but local stations would still have their own morning and early evening shows.
  • On June 30, Heart Solent replaced two older Heart stations.
  • On July 2, Heart Cambridgeshire replaced two other stations. Also, Heart North Wales and West replaced three stations.
  • On July 9, Heart Thames Valley replaced two stations.
  • On July 16, Heart Four Counties replaced several stations. Heart West Country also replaced three stations.
  • On July 26, Mercury 96.6 in Hertfordshire became Heart Hertfordshire. Heart Essex also replaced three stations. Heart Sussex and Surrey replaced two stations.
  • On August 27, Heart Devon replaced four stations in the Devon area.
  • On September 3, Heart East Anglia replaced two stations.
  • On November 9, Orion Media announced they would launch a new station called Gem 106. This meant Heart 106 in the East Midlands would stop broadcasting at the end of the year.

• 2011
  • On January 1, Gem 106 officially replaced Heart East Midlands. This was the first Heart station to stop broadcasting.
  • Jason Donovan started presenting the Sunday morning show.

• 2012
  • On May 7, Heart South West launched, replacing Atlantic FM. It still had a local show for Cornwall.
  • On August 5, Emma Willis and Stephen Mulhern started co-hosting the Sunday morning show.
  • On October 12, Heart launched its own TV channel called Heart TV. It showed music videos and was available on Freesat and Sky.
  • Roberto joined to present the weekday evening show.

• 2013
  • On March 14, Jenni Falconer started presenting the early Sunday show. She took over from Jason Donovan, who went on tour.
  • On June 23, Simon Beale hosted his last weeknight late show. He moved to the overnight show, which played only 80s music for a while.
  • Heart Digital, a digital radio service, was closed down.

• 2014
  • On January 20, Global Radio was told by Ofcom (the UK's communications regulator) that Heart South West in Cornwall needed more local news.
  • On May 6, the Real Radio network was rebranded as Heart. However, some Heart stations in North West and Wales became Capital stations instead.
  • On August 3, Jason Donovan returned to Heart to present an 80s music show on Sunday evenings.

• 2015
  • No major events happened this year.

• 2016
  • On February 29, Heart Extra began broadcasting.
  • From November 12 to December 27, Heart Extra changed to 'Heart Extra Xmas' and played only Christmas music. This happened again in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

• 2017
  • On January 16, Sian Welby replaced Roberto as the host of the weekday evening show.
  • On February 14, Heart changed its slogan from "more music variety" to "turn up the feel good!".
  • In March, Heart 80s started broadcasting and replaced Heart Extra on satellite TV.
  • In September, Heart started playing special remixes of its jingle before some songs.

• 2018
  • In January, Heart stopped playing music from the 1970s and 1980s on its main station. This allowed them to play more modern 'hot adult contemporary' music. Older songs were only played for special events or competitions.
  • Also in January, 'Heart's Club Classics' show became longer on Friday and Saturday evenings. It focused more on modern club music.
  • On January 13-14, Heart changed its weekend schedule. Lilah Parsons, Rochelle Humes, and Emma Bunton took on new shows.
  • On March 5, a station called The Bay in Cumbria became Heart North Lancashire & Cumbria.
  • On July 5, it was announced that Ellie Taylor and Anna Whitehouse would host a new talk show on Heart on Sunday nights.
  • On October 11, Heart TV stopped broadcasting after six years.

• 2019
  • On February 26, Global announced plans to have one national breakfast show for Heart, Capital, and Smooth Radio. This meant local breakfast shows would end.
  • On March 22, Annaliese Dayes left Heart.
  • On April 8, Pandora Christie joined to host the mid-morning show. Toby Anstis moved to the Friday evening 'Club Classics' show.
  • 'Heart's Happy Hour' was replaced by 'Heart's Feel Good Five', which played five upbeat songs every weekday morning.
  • On May 20, Global confirmed that about 70 local presenters would leave Heart. Only 17 presenters would host the regional Drivetime shows.
  • On May 31, ten Heart stations stopped broadcasting locally and merged into four larger stations. All local 'Heart Breakfast' shows aired their final programmes.
  • The 'Time Tunnel' segment, which played songs from a specific year, moved to a 3 AM slot.
  • BOB fm in Hertfordshire merged with Heart Hertfordshire to form one station for the county.
  • On June 3, 'Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden' launched as the new national breakfast show. The number of local Drivetime shows was reduced.
  • On June 21, a new Heart spin-off station called Heart Dance launched, playing dance music.
  • On August 28, Global launched Heart 90s, playing music from the 1990s.
  • On August 30, Global launched Heart 70s, playing music from the 1970s.

Heart Today: 2020s

More Spin-Offs and Changes

• 2020
  • On March 12, Heart Extra stopped broadcasting. It was replaced by a full-time national 'Heart UK' feed.

• 2021
  • On March 2, Global Radio received approval to stop broadcasting the 'Heart Nightly News' programme on some stations. This was because listeners preferred more music.

• 2022
  • In January, Heart's Club Classics show became longer, finishing an hour later at 11 PM.
  • On May 20, Heart 00s launched, playing music from the 2000s across the country.

• 2023
  • In May, Heart Scotland brought back its own local breakfast and daytime shows. Des Clarke and Jennifer Reoch started hosting the new breakfast show.

• 2024
  • On September 12, Heart launched three new spin-off stations: Heart Love (playing love songs), Heart Musicals (playing songs from musicals), and Heart 10s (playing songs from the 2010s).

• 2025
  • On February 21, all Heart stations in England ended their local and regional programming. Stations in Scotland and Wales kept their local shows.
  • On February 24, JK and Kelly Brook started hosting the new England-wide 'Heart Drive' show.