Absolute Radio’s Hometime expands across network

Absolute Radio’s Hometime show is to be shared across the other Absolute-branded stations, with 7 separate playlists.

The programme, presented by Andy Bush and Richie Firth for the last year, will air on Absolute’s decades stations – 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s – as well as Absolute Classic Rock and the main station.

The split playlist technology developed by RCS and Bauer is already used on the Dave Berry Breakfast Show to enable genre specific music for each service alongside the live presenter content.

Paul Sylvester, Content Director for Absolute Radio, told RadioToday: “Hometime with Bush and Richie is one of the most ambitious shows on UK radio and it’s really resonated with listeners. Using our innovative technology to offer up the show to more people while adding content to our decade stations was the obvious next step.”

Andy Bush and Richie Firth said “The last year on Hometime has been some of the most fun we’ve had and as we celebrate one year on air we’re really excited for the show to grow and broadcast across the whole for the Absolute Radio Network.”

There are other changes to the schedules next week, with Chris Martin taking on a new evening show on Absolute 80s and Leona Graham hosting a new evening on show on Absolute Classic Rock.

The announcement comes weeks after Global introduced 70s and 90s stations on national DAB to go alongside Heart 80s. All three have live breakfast shows and automated music output for the rest of the day.