jmkj
HomePage I Contact Website
Listen to talkSPORT Now
Disclaimer: This website is totally unofficial. talkSPORT1089.co.uk has no links and is not endorsed by talkSPORT or The Wireless Group. Any opinions expressed on this website are made by the inidividuals and are not ther opinions of the website as a whole. We would like to thank talkSPORT Ltd. for the use of their images on this website. To visit the official talkSPORT website click here.
The Latest talkSPORT News
From the talkSPORT1089.co.uk News Centre

This website endeavours to bring its readers the very latest news regarding the UK's national commercial sports radio station. In bringing you news on talkSPORT, we will be using a number of sources including the Media Guardian, Media Week, Radio Times and UK Radio.

talkSPORT News Archive: January & February 2005 I March & April 2005 I May 2005 I June & July 2005

talkSPORT Football First International Special
Added: Saturday 24th September

talkSPORT will broadcast unofficial commentary of England's remaining World Cup Qualifying matches against Austria and Poland in October.

On Saturday 8th October, talkSPORT will broadcast unofficial commentary of England's World Cup Qualifier against Austria at Manchester United's Old Trafford. From 12:00pm, Adrian Durham hosts a Football First International Preview with a look ahead to the day's action involving England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with a host of pundits, guests and interviews. Chris Cooper and Alvin Martin will be talkSPORT's commentary team for unofficial coverage of England v Austria from 4:00pm.

Throughout the course of the day, talkSPORT will broadcast the latest score updates and reports from Cyprus v Republic of Ireland during The Final Whistle with Patrick Kinghorn, Scotland v Belarus from 3:00pm and Northern Ireland v Wales from 2:00pm during Football First International Preview with Adrian Durham.

The full schedule for Saturday 8th October on talkSPORT is as follows:

1:00am Charlie Wolf 6:00am Fisherman's Blues with Keith Arthur 8:00am The Sports Breakfast with Andy Townsend & Mike Parry from Manchester 12:00pm Football First International Preview with Adrian Durham 3:30pm Football First International Special: England v Austria 6:00pm The Final Whistle with Patrick Kinghorn & Micky Quinn 9:00pm The Unexplained with Howard Hughes 11:00pm-2:00am Mike Dickin.

talkSPORT will also broadcast unofficial coverage of England's final World Cup Qualifying Group match against Poland at Old Trafford on Wednesday 12th October. From 7:00pm, Adrian Durham hosts a Football First International Special with full coverage of the night's action including the Republic of Ireland v Switzerland, Slovenia v Scotland, Austria v Northern Ireland and Wales v Azerbaijan.

From 7:45pm, talkSPORT's commentary team of Chris Cooper and Alvin Martin will provide unofficial coverage of England's clash with Poland. Following the conclusion of the match, Adrian Durham will host The Final Whistle with full post-match reaction to the night's action involving England and the home nations from 10:00pm-1:00am alongside Alvin Martin. James Whale returns on Thursday 13th October at 10:00pm.

The full schedule for Wednesday 12th October on talkSPORT is as follows:

1:00am Mike Mendoza 6:00am The Sports Breakfast with Alan Brazil & Graham Beecroft 10:00am Ian Collins 1:00pm Sportswatch with Andrew McKenna 1:10pm Hawksbee & Jacobs 4:00pm The Game with Paul Breen-Turner & Rodney Marsh from Manchester 7:00pm Football First International Special: England v Poland 10:00pm-1:00am The Final Whistle with Adrian Durham & Alvin Martin.

talkSPORT Snap Up Newsreader from Virgin Radio
Added: Friday 16th September

talkSPORT have poached newsreader Robyn Schonhofer from Virgin Radio to deliver the afternoon news bulletins from 1:00pm-7:00pm weekdays.

Schonhofer is currently Virgin Radio's newsreader during Drivetime with Martin Collins and joins talkSPORT on Monday 19th September, when she will be delivering the news each weekday afternoon between 1:00pm-7:00pm during Hawksbee & Jacobs and The Game with Paul Breen-Turner and Rodney Marsh.

A massive Brighton and Hove Albion supporter and general sports fanatic, Schonhofer joined Virgin Radio after spells at Southern FM in Brighton and 105.4 Century FM in Manchester. She is one of two female bulletin readers to joined talkSPORT's weekday lineup on Monday 19th September.

Lisa O'Sullivan will be replacing Pete Abbott to present the weekday sports bulletins during The Sports Breakfast with Alan Brazil & Graham Beecroft and Ian Collins show between 6:00am-1:00pm. O'Sullivan has been a sports reporter on talkSPORT for the past couple of years and regularly reads bulletins on Sunday afternoon during Whale and Sunday and The Final Whistle with Patrick Kinghorn. She has also broadcast on national commercial stations Classic FM and Virgin Radio as well as BBC Radio Five Live where she was internet reporter for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2001 British Lions Tour of Australia.

O'Sullivan has covered the World Rally Championship, Women's Rugby World Cup, Six Nations Championship, Wimbledon Championship and the London Marathon. She is also a former rugby player for Southend and the Irish Exiles and plans to run the London Triathlon next year.

Meanwhile, talkSPORT will be broadcasting live commentary of Arsenal v Everton from Highbury on Football First Premiership Live with Chris Cooper and Alvin Martin on Monday 19th September. Available only in the London area on 1089am, kick-off is at 8:00pm. The rest of the UK will receive Evening Kick-Off with Rhodri Williams, Gabriele Marcotti and Jason Cundy reviewing the day's football stories.

Ulster TV Aim to Improve Radio Stations
Added: Tuesday 13th September

Ulster TV aim to improve the national and local radio stations it bought as part of the £98.2m acquisition of talkSPORT owners The Wireless Group.

The Belfast-based owner of the Northern Ireland ITV franchise became a significant player in the UK radio market with the deal, completed in June. UTV said yesterday that it would conduct a review of each station over the next nine months and invest cash in an "underperforming" local network.

John McCann, Chief Executive of UTV, said he was not disappointed with the condition of The Wireless Group's local network. "I would have been unhappy if I had seen something working perfectly and had nothing to bring to it. The fact is that there is a job of work to do," he said.

Scott Taunton, Chief Executive of The Wireless Group stations, said talkSPORT also needed attention to grow its 2.2 million weekly audience: "There has not been a piece of audience research conducted over the past five years. I want the station to maximise the opportunity it has with the World Cup coming through next year. We need to use that as a platform to build audience," he said.

UTV announced yesterday that it would bolster its local network by acquiring a 50% stake in a national advertising sales house from the Local Radio Company in a £500,000 deal. With the addition of The Wireless Group's local stations, First Radio Sales will sell advertising slots on behalf of 113 local stations across the UK, representing 13% of the local commercial radio audience. The number of stations will rise to 114 later this year when UTV launches its U105 station in Belfast.

UTV announced The Wireless Group overhaul and the LRC deal alongside first half results yesterday. Company turnover for the six months to June 30 rose 17% to £35.8m. Like-for-like revenues, excluding a contribution of £2.8m from the Wireless Group, rose about 6%. Pre-tax profits were flat at £8.1m.

UTV reported a mixed third-quarter trading outlook for its recently acquired stations. Advertising revenues at talkSPORT are up 7% between July and September, but local station turnover fell into negative territory, leaving The Wireless Group sales up 3% over the period.

Meanwhile, SMG is in "advanced talks" with Freeview about a multi-million-pound deal to allow Virgin Radio to be accessed via digital TV. The Glasgow-based media group's finance director, George Watt, said the move would give Virgin access to an extra five million potential listeners. Freeview already carries all the BBC's network radio services along with commercial stations Premier, talkSPORT, Kiss and others.

BBC Win Rights for England's Tour of Pakistan
Added: Monday 12th September

BBC Sport has secured the exclusive radio rights for England's Winter Tour of Pakistan, following England's Ashes victory against Australia.

The BBC's Test Match Special programme will provide commentary of England's three Test matches, the first of which starts on Saturday 12th November, and following the five one day internationals as they try to recreate the success of their last tour to Pakistan which was broadcast live on talkSPORT.

Roger Mosey, Director BBC Sport, said: "Some of the debate about cricket rights in recent weeks has implied the BBC isn't committed to cricket. In fact, with Test Match Special, BBC Radio Five Live and our online services, we are one of the UK's biggest and best sources for cricket commentary and news. Covering the tour to Pakistan is further evidence of that commitment."

The BBC also has non-exclusive rights to cover the C&G Trophy and Twenty20 Cup, which the latter is shared with The Wireless Group, which owns talkSPORT. talkSPORT has said it will cover England's Tour of Pakistan in a similar way to how it covered The Ashes, despite not owning the rights. It will broadcast updates and reports, analysis, phone-ins and interviews with former and current players.

The Ulster TV owned radio station would not reveal if it had bid against the BBC for the exclusive rights but was reported in the Daily Express recently that talkSPORT would not be bidding for England's Tour of Pakistan and India. England's Tour of India has no official radio broadcaster as yet as the rights to the tour have not yet been sold to either talkSPORT or the BBC.

England Tour of Pakistan Match Schedule: November: 12th-16th First Test, Multan. 20th-24th Second Test, Faisalabad. 29th-December 3rd Third Test, Lahore. 10th First ODI, Lahore. 12th Second ODI, Lahore. 15th Third ODI, Karachi. 19th Fourth ODI, Rawalpindi. 21st Fifth ODI, Rawalpind.

UTV First Half Year Profits Rise 9%
Added: Monday 12th September

Belfast-based Ulster TV, the media group that acquired The Wireless Group in June, has reported a 9% rise in pre-tax profits to £9m for the first half of the year.

The group reported turnover of £35.8m for the first half, a rise of 17% on the same period last year. This includes figures for The Wireless Group 6th June to 30th June, following its acquisition by UTV in a £97m deal. It said talkSPORT was "performing very well" and revenues should rise 7% in the third quarter.

The rise in profits came despite a 3% fall in television advertising revenue, which UTV blamed on the comparatively strong period last year, which included Euro 2004, as well as on the cut in government spending during this year's General Election campaign. It was boosted by a strong performance in radio, including another acquisition, LMFM. Radio advertising in Ireland grew by 36% during the period to £6.5m. UTV also managed a small profit from its new-media division, down to £400,000 from £500,000.

John McGuckian, Chairman of UTV, said: "The outlook is promising in radio and in television tight cost control should help us to overcome a soft advertising market. New media has had a strong first half with turnover up by 56%, representing significant growth in its customer base in internet and telephony services."

John McCann, Group Chief Executive, UTV, said: "Radio has performed well with operating profit up by 150% and strong listenership growth in our Republic of Ireland stations. Radio advertising revenue in Ireland continues to experience good growth and is expected to be up, on a like-for-like basis, by 13% in the third quarter. Q102, almost doubled its market share in the competitive Dublin market and is on target to break even this year. U105, our new station for Belfast and the surrounding area will launch in November 2005.

"Cost synergies of £1.5m will be fully delivered on UTV Radio in Great Britain in 2006. talkSPORT is performing very well and should achieve revenue growth of about 7% in the third quarter. Overall revenue in that quarter at UTV Radio GB should be up by approximately 3%. We expect to see further significant improvement in revenue performance in our local radio sales with the integration of our national advertising for those stations into a new joint venture sales house (FRS) with The Local Radio Company. FRS will now represent 113 stations throughout the UK making it a compelling proposition for national advertisers. Our new radio station in Edinburgh Talk 107 will go on air in February 2006."

Local Radio Company in Tie-Up with UTV
Added: Monday 12th September

The Local Radio Company is to turn its advertising sales house into a joint venture with Ulster TV, the new owner of talkSPORT and The Wireless Group.

LRC, which has been built by former Jazz FM boss Richard Wheatly into a 27-station group since launching last year, is splitting its first radio sales division into a 50/50 venture with UTV. For its part of the deal, UTV, which bought The Wireless Group's 17 stations in June, is paying £500,000 in cash and handing the sales house its contract for national and regional advertising on its local stations.

UTV's national sports radio station, talkSPORT, will continue to be represented by the group's Impact Sales division, which is being renamed talkSPORT. UTV has also dropped The Wireless Group name by setting up a new division, UTV Radio, for its stations, which include Swansea Sound and Bolton's Tower FM.

Commenting, Richard Wheatly, Chief Executive of TLRC, said: "This joint venture will be a compelling force in the national radio sales market providing clients with a fantastic buying opportunity for local radio. We are delighted to be working closely with the team at Ulster TV."

Scott Taunton, Chief Executive of UTV Radio, said: "The existing team in First Radio Sales have demonstrated the value of ILR stations to national advertisers. With the addition of UTV's 17 stations and the integration of sales teams, I am confident that this proposition will be further strengthened."

The group announced today it has acquired full control Liverpool's number two station, Juice FM, where it previously had a 33% stake. It won the licence for the new Belfast station in March this year, while in the Republic of Ireland it owns four stations, including Dublin music station Q102.

Meanwhile, UTV Radio's new Edinburgh radio station Talk 107, formerly known as Dunedin FM and allTALK 107 will be launching on 14th February 2006. More information on the station's schedule and presenters will be made available closer to the time of launch.

talkSPORT Sign Deal with Passport 2 Sport
Added: Thursday 8th September

talkSPORT have signed deal with Passport 2 Sport to provide an online shopping experience offering a range of products, special offers and competitions.

The talkSPORT Shop from Passport 2 Sport will be selling a number of sports based products, offers and services through talkSPORT's website including magazine subscriptions, sporting holidays, VIP and hospitality packages, sports memorabilia and watersport, air, and motoring experience packages including the chance to drive around the track at Silverstone in Northamptonshire.

Meanwhile, former talkSPORT Chief Executive Kelvin MacKenzie is showing his charitable side by spearheading a campaign to help raise the £6 million needed to rebuild a journalists care home in Sandy Cross, Surrey. Built 35 years ago, the home for elderly journalists is run by the charity NPF. The charity has already been pledged £700,000 and is dedicating £1 million from its own resources, but MacKenzie is responsible for raising the rest throught pledges and charitable donations.

He said: "I'm hoping that under the deal I will be entitled to my own room. Bob Warren, from the News of the World, and the charity's chairman Nick Jones came to me and asked whether I could be helpful - because I was the only member of the media community they could find working in August. I'll be appealing to the regional and national press, TV and radio. The charity is a fantastic thing and I'm hopeful that industries outside the newspaper industry will also feel they can help."

Dave Thomas, Mike Mendoza and Charlie Wolf will be filling-in for Mike Dickin on Friday 16th September, Saturday 17th September and Sunday 18th September respectively between 10:00pm-2:00am.

Highbury Appoints MacKenzie as Chairman
Added: Wednesday 7th September

Former talkSPORT Chief Executive Kelvin MacKenzie has become the chairman of the magazine publisher Highbury House, after amassing a 20% stake in the company.

MacKenzie, who was invited by Highbury's board to be the company's executive chairman, is to take up his new role immediately. The company's non-executive chairman, Simon Neathercoat, is stepping down immediately, while the chief executive, Mark Simpson, is due to leave at the end of the month.

Neathercoat said he was disappointed to be leaving but delighted that MacKenzie had joined the company: "Kelvin has a terrific track record in the media industry with broad experience and contacts. I am confident that under his leadership, Highbury will re-establish a sensible capital structure and thrive thereafter."

MacKenzie, who started buying his shares in Highbury last month, said: "The company remains in a fragile state but at its heart are good titles and core profitability. I am hopeful we can build on this foundation."

His appointment is his first media job since he left radio company The Wireless Group in May after losing out to Ulster TV in the bidding for the group. He walked away from the company he took over seven years earlier with £7m for his 6.4% stake and in severance pay.

Highbury has been forced into a corporate restructuring after a planned sale to rival group Future was blocked by the Office of Fair Trading. After the £96.5m deal was blocked it opted to sell 38 magazines to Future. It has closed other magazines in its lifestyle stable, but held on to Front, and earlier this week sold its South African operations. At the end of this month the company is relocating its head office to Bournemouth.

Meanwhile, from Saturday 1st October UBC Media will be launching their latest syndicated proposition called Network News. Transmitted on talkSPORT, Heart FM, Galaxy FM, LBC and The Arrow, Network News offers advertisers national coverage and solus positioning within Sky News bulletins.

talkSPORT Cricket Show: Ashes Special
Added: Tuesday 6th September

talkSPORT will broadcast a special Ashes edition of The Cricket Show following the conclusion of the Fifth Test on Monday 12th September.

The Fifth Ashes Test takes place at The Oval beginning on Thursday 8th September as England go into their match with Australia 2-1 up following a dramatic Fourth Test at Trent Bridge a couple of weeks ago. Ashley Giles hit the winning runs which saw England win by three wickets on the fifth day meaning Australia's eight-series domination of The Ashes could be coming to and end in the near future.

Rhodri Williams will be hosting a talkSPORT Cricket Show: Ashes Special on Monday 12th September and will be joined by former England captain and Wisden Cricketer of the Year Allan Lamb and talkSPORT's cricket commentator Jack Bannister. Broadcaster Tony Schibecci from Australian sports radio station SEN 1116 in Melbourne will be providing an Australian perspective throughout the course of the programme which broadcasts between 7:00pm-10:00pm.

They will be looking back at one of the most memorable Ashes Series in living memory and will be joined by a number of guests as well as taking thoughts from the listeners on the phone-in from both the UK and Australia through talkSPORT's link up simulcast with SEN 1116 in Melbourne.

The Sports Breakfast with Alan Brazil & Graham Beecroft will be coming live from The Oval on Thursday 8th September from 6:00am ahead of the opening day of the Fifth Ashes Test. talkSPORT's Jack Bannister will be on hand to provide updates and reports every 15 minutes, and when the wickets fall, throughout the course of each day's play from 10:30am. 

Meanwhile for some strange reason, BBC Radio Five Live's output is to be presented live from The Oval for the five days of the Fifth Test. Simon Mayo's programme and the Drive programme will be hosted from the ground and there will be extended periods of commentary. "It will not be ball-by-ball coverage and there will still be news and sports bulletins and coverage of breaking news stories," a spokeswoman said.

talkSPORT To Give Up on Winter Cricket Rights
Added: Friday 2nd September

Insiders at talkSPORT have given up hope of retaining the broadcast rights for commentary of England's Winter Tour to India and Pakistan, according to the Daily Express.

In a recent edition of the national newspaper, sports journalist Matthew Dunn claims that the real impact of talkSPORT's takeover by Belfast based Ulster TV earlier this year looks set to be felt by cricket fans this winter when England travel to India and Pakistan for a test series and a number of one day matches.

The move from talkSPORT's new owners paves the way for winter commentary to return to the BBC's Test Match Special programme on BBC Radio Four and Five Live Sports Extra, after talkSPORT outbid them for coverage of England's Tour of South Africa earlier this year.

However, exclusive rights to provide live commentary of England's Winter Tours can cost up to £500,000 as former talkSPORT Chief Executive and Sun Editor Kelvin MacKenzie stated at a conference regarding the BBC's Charter Renewal last year which involved BBC Radio Director Jenny Abramsky.

talkSPORT's coverage of England's Tour of South Africa helped attract over half a million extra listeners to the station making it, at the time, the number two commercial radio station in the UK above national rock station Virgin Radio with over 2.5 million listeners each week.

Meanwhile, UBC Media has signed a deal to sell advertising around news bulletins for Chrysalis and The Wireless Group. It gives the company a foothold in stations such as Heart, LBC and talkSPORT. UBC will sell the advertisement that follows each news bulletin, and will pass a share of the revenues to the companies.

Latest News: Champions League on talkSPORT: Liverpool & Arsenal
Added: Monday 29th August

talkSPORT will broadcast live commentary of Real Betis v Liverpool and Arsenal v FC Thun in the Champions League on Tuesday 13th September and Wednesday 14th September.

Adrian Durham hosts a double header of Champions League commentary on Matchday 1 of the competition as Liverpool travel to Spain to take on Real Betis at the Manuel Ruiz De Lopera Stadium on Tuesday 13th September. On the following night Arsenal take on Swiss minnows FC Thun at Highbury on Wednesday 14th September with both matches kicking-off at 7:45pm. Commentary with be provided by talkSPORT's regular duo of Chris Cooper and former England international defender Alvin Martin.

During talkSPORT's live coverage of Real Betis v Liverpool, the station will have score updates and reports from Chelsea's opening match against Belgian's Anderlecht from Stamford Bridge. The following night during commentary of Arsenal v FC Thun, talkSPORT will have goal flashes and live reports from Manchester United's tie against Spaniards Villareal at the El Madrigal Stadium.

Also on Tuesday 13th September, talkSPORT will keep listeners up-to-date with the night's action in the Football League including a full programme of fixtures in the Championship with Cardiff v Leicester, Ipswich v Southampton, QPR v Luton, Reading v Crystal Palace and Watford v Norwich the pick of the night's matches.

Following the conclusion of talkSPORT's live commentary, the station will take calls from listeners on the night's action with Adrian Durham between 10:00pm-11:00pm on the ultimate post-match football phone-in.

The schedule for both Tuesday 13th September & Wednesday 14th September on talkSPORT is as follows:

1:00am Mike Mendoza 6:00am The Sports Breakfast with Alan Brazil & Graham Beecroft 10:00am Ian Collins 1:00pm Sportswatch with Andrew McKenna 1:10pm Hawksbee & Jacobs 4:00pm The Game with Paul Breen-Turner & Rodney Marsh 7:00pm Champions League Live: Real Betis v Liverpool / Arsenal v FC Thun 10:00pm The Final Whistle with Adrian Durham 11:00pm-1:00am James Whale.

Five Cricket Highlights: Chris Cowdrey v Mark Nicholas
Added: Monday 29th August

talkSPORT's Chris Cowdrey & Mark Nicholas are battling it out to be presenter of Five's England Cricket highlights show next year after both were short-listed to front the programme.

According to Friday's edition of the Daily Mail, Sports Agenda columnist Charles Sale claims that Five, who recently claimed the rights to broadcast terrestrial television highlights of England Cricket highlights from Channel 4, are already planning their coverage and are deliberating between whether to use current Channel 4 presenter and talkSPORT commentator Mark Nicholas or Chris Cowdrey as presenter of their coverage.

Cowdrey, son of the late Lord Colin Cowdrey, currently presents talkSPORT's weekly cricket show and has anchored and commentated on their coverage of England's Winter Tours including the most recent Tour of South Africa earlier this year. Nicholas is a former England A captain and has fronted cricket coverage in the UK for a number of years on Sky Sports and Channel 4 in the UK and Channel 9 in Australia. He has also been part of talkSPORT's commentary team alongside Cowdrey for England's Winter Tour matches and was part of the team for the Tour of the West Indies last year.

Going by the Today at the Test show as the model (Channel 4 Cricket producer Sunset & Vine are Five's main sports producers and are likely to produce their highlights show), whatever happens, it is unlikely that Cowdrey would be unable to front or commentate on any future talkSPORT cricket coverage, as all presenting a highlights show requires is to record an opener and a closing piece at the start and end of the day's play, as well as providing a voiceover.

Meanwhile, James Whale and Duncan Barkes will be filling in for Mike Dickin in the coming weeks on talkSPORT whilst the presenter takes an autumn break. Whale will be in for Dickin oN Friday 9th September between 10:00pm-1:00am and Barkes will be in for Dickin on Saturday 10th September between 11:00pm-2:00am and Sunday 11th September between 10:00pm-1:00am. Alvin Martin will be in for Rodney Marsh alongside Paul Breen-Turner on The Game on Thursday 9th September between 4:00pm-7:00pm.

talkSPORT Sign Champions League Rights Deals
Added: Wednesday 24th August

talkSPORT have announced extensive coverage of the forthcoming Champions League competition involving British clubs in the group stage and beyond.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester United from the Premiership and Glasgow Rangers from the Scottish Premier League will be representing the British interest in the Champions League and talkSPORT will be at the heart of the action with live commentary from the group stages and knockout rounds.

talkSPORT have signed deals with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool to broadcast selected home and away matches in the Champions League and the station will also be broadcasting selected away matches involving Manchester United and Everton. talkSPORT will also broadcast score updates and reports from Glasgow Rangers matches at Ibrox and abroad during their Champions League coverage.

The deal marks the first time that talkSPORT has struck a deal with Liverpool, making it something of a coup for the station's new owners Ulster TV which bought talkSPORT's parent company The Wireless Group in May after a failed management buyout led by former Sun Editor Kelvin MacKenzie.

Scott Taunton, Chief Executive of The Wireless Group, said: "This is a great day for talkSPORT and reinforces our commitment to live sport and football in particular. There is no doubt that talkSPORT listeners love our distinctive style of commentary which is passionate, lively and perfectly in tune with the terraces. Of course, we will continue to broadcast our incredibly popular Football First programme on Saturday which provides the ultimate in matchday coverage with reports from around the grounds across the country."

Chris Cooper, Nigel Pearson and Jim Proudfoot will be talkSPORT key commentators alongside a crack team of pundits including former West Ham United and England star Alvin Martin, former Tottenham and England defender Gary Stevens and former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland midfielder Ray Houghton.

Following talkSPORT's live Champions League commentary matches, the station will broadcast a post-match phone-in programme hosted by Adrian Durham and talkSPORT's commentary team until 11:00pm. The draw for the group stage of the Champions League takes place on Thursday 24th August and can be heard during Hawksbee & Jacobs between 1:00pm-4:00pm on talkSPORT.

talkSPORT's 2006 World Cup Qualifier Coverage
Added: Wednesday 24th August

talkSPORT will broadcast coverage of England's forthcoming World Cup Qualifying matches against Wales and Northern Ireland in September.

On Saturday 3rd September, Adrian Durham will be joined by Alvin Martin and Gary Stevens for coverage of the World Cup Qualifying action including score updates and reports from the matches including England v Wales, Northern Ireland v Azerbaijan and Scotland v Italy on Football First from 12:00pm on talkSPORT.

Chris Cooper will be at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for Wales v England as the Welsh attempt to reverse their defeat against England at Old Trafford last year. TalkSPORT will also be at Windsor Park for Northern Ireland's clash with Azerbaijan and Graham Courtney will be at Hampden Park for Scotland v Italy.

On Wednesday 7th September, Adrian Durham hosts talkSPORT's unofficial coverage of England's clash with Northern Ireland from Windsor Park in Belfast. Chris Cooper and Alvin Martin will be talkSPORT's commentary team for unofficial commentary of the World Cup Qualifier from 7:45pm. In addition, talkSPORT will have reporters at the Valeri Lobanovski Stadium in Warsaw for Poland v Wales, Lansdowne Road in Dublin for the Republic of Ireland v France and the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo for Norway v Scotland.

Following talkSPORT's unofficial commentary of Northern Ireland v England, Adrian Durham will be joined by Alvin Martin for the ultimate post-match football phone-in with reaction to the night's action involving England, Wales, Nothern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

The full schedule for Wednesday 7th September on talkSPORT is as follows:

1:00am Mike Mendoza 6:00am The Sports Breakfast with Alan Brazil & Graham Beecroft 10:00am Ian Collins 1:00pm Sportswatch with Andrew McKenna 1:10pm Hawksbee & Jacobs 4:00pm The Game with Paul Breen-Turner & Rodney Marsh from Belfast 7:00pm Football First International Special: Northern Ireland v England 9:45pm The Final Whistle with Adrian Durham 11:00pm-1:00am The James Whale Show.

talkSPORT's Rodney Marsh Lined Up for ITV Reality Show
Added: Tuesday 23rd August

Rodney Marsh, talkSPORT's co-host on The Game, looks set to be unveiled as the latest high profile name to sign up to ITV's forthcoming I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

The former Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City and England International recently joined talkSPORT as co-host of The Game alongside broadcaster Paul Breen-Turner each weekday. Marsh has made a name for himself since retiring from the game thanks to his frank, and at times controversial opinions.

Marsh's fiery reputation was not helped either when he caused an outcry, resulting in his sacking, by making an ill-timed joke during a You're On Sky Sports show alongside former talkSPORT presenter Rob McCaffrey about the tragic tsunami which devastated Asia on Boxing Day last year.

However, his colourful past and personality is thought to be perfect for the jungle show, particularly as another loudmouth former England forward, Ian Wright, also looks set to complete a move to ITV's hit reality show. A show insider told the Daily Star: "Marsh would be a magic signing for us. He's a larger-than-life figure who will certainly speak his mind about people rather than bitch about them behind their backs. The fireworks will fly around the camp fire. And Rodney and Ian together in the camp would make fantastic TV."

It is not certain whether talkSPORT knew about the interest from ITV following his appointment last month at the station but it is likely they will seek out a temporary replacement for Marsh when the fifth series of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here commences in November this year, hosted by Ant & Dec.

Meanwhile, Ulster TV expected to hold talks with Chrysalis about forging a partnership between talkSPORT and LBC, according to Sunday's edition of The Times.

talkSPORT's August Bank Holiday Monday Schedule
Added: Friday 19th August

talkSPORT have released their schedule for August Bank Holiday Monday and includes Paul Breen-Turner and Rodney Marsh on The Sports Breakfast.

Keith Arthur will host a special Bank Holiday edition of Fisherman's Blues, the third of the weekend, between 6:00am-8:00am. Following Fisherman's Blues, Paul Breen-Turner and Rodney Marsh will be filling-in for Alan Brazil and Graham Beecroft on The Sports Breakfast looking ahead to the day's Back Holiday action in the Championship and League 1 & 2.

From 12:00pm, Adrian Durham is joined by Alvin Martin and Gary Stevens on Football First with updates and reports from around the grounds in the Championship, including Derby v Watford, Hull v Leicester, Luton v Milwall, Reading v Burnley and Stoke v Norwich. There will also be goal updates and scores from the remaining matches in League 1, League 2 and the Conference.

Patrick Kinghorn and Micky Quinn will be on The Final Whistle between 5:00pm-8:00pm with full post-match reaction on the ultimate post-match football phone-in. James Whale will take to the airwaves 2 hours earlier from 8:00pm and will include updates and reports from the Richo Arena in the Championship for Coventry v Southampton from 8:00pm.

The full schedule for Monday 29th August on talkSPORT is as follows:

1:00am Mike Mendoza 6:00am Fisherman's Blues with Keith Arthur 8:00am The Sports Breakfast with Paul Breen-Turner & Rodney Marsh 12:00pm Football First with Adrian Durham, Alvin Martin & Gary Stevens 5:00pm The Final Whistle with Patrick Kinghorn & Micky Quinn 8:00pm-1:00am The James Whale Show.

Meanwhile, talkSPORT 1089am in London will have live commentary of Chelsea v Arsenal from Stamford Bridge in the Premiership on Sunday 21st August between 3:00pm-6:00pm with Chris Cooper and Alvin Martin. In addition, on Wednesday 24th August between 7:30pm-10:00pm, Jason Cundy will join Chris Cooper for live commentary of the Premiership clash between Chelsea and West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge. This match is only available on 1089am in the London region on talkSPORT.

Magic 1152 in Tyne and Wear have announced a deal with Sunderland to broadcast live commentary of their Premiership matches on the station. The shock deals follows the announcement from EMAP, owners of Magic 1152 and Metro Radio, that both stations would be dropping commentary of matches involving Sunderland & Newcastle because of the high price of broadcast rights. However there has been a u-turn with the Sunderland rights but rights to Newcastle's matches have been bought by Century & BBC Newcastle.

talkSPORT Renew London Premiership Commentary
Added: Saturday 13th August

talkSPORT will continue to broadcast live commentary of selected Premiership matches involving Arsenal and Chelsea starting tomorrow from 12:00pm.

Despite failing to renew their deals with Everton, Manchester City and Blackburn to broadcast commentary of their Premiership matches to listeners of the station in the north-west, talkSPORT will continue with their split-region Premiership coverage of selected matches involving Arsenal & Chelsea on 1089am in London.

talkSPORT have a policy that they will not provide live commentary of a domestic match in the Premiership on a Saturday afternoon with a 3:00pm or 5:15pm kick-off. They will provide commentary of matches on Saturday lunchtime, Sunday afternoon and midweek.

Following talkSPORT's coverage of the opening day of the Premiership season on Football First with Adrian Durham, Alvin Martin and Gary Stevens between 12:00pm-5:00pm on Saturday, the station will continue with it's Premiership coverage with live commentary of Arsenal v Newcastle from Highbury with Chris Cooper and Micky Quinn and Wigan v Chelsea from the JJB Stadium with Nigel Pearson and Alvin Martin on Sunday 14th August between 12:00pm-6:00pm on 1089am in the London region.

The rest of the UK will be able to hear reports of the day's matches during Whale on Sunday between 12:00pm-4:00pm and The Final Whistle with Patrick Kinghorn between 4:00pm-8:00pm. Patrick  Kinghorn will be joined by regular pundits Gabriele Marcotti and Ray Houghton to discuss the opening weekend of the new Premiership season and to look ahead to England's Friendly International gainst Denmark.

The schedule for Sunday 14th August on talkSPORT is as follows:

2:00am Charlie Wolf 6:00am Fisherman's Blues with Keith Arthur 8:00am The Sports Breakfast with Andy Townsend & Ray Houghton 12:00pm Whale on Sunday (In London: Football First Premiership Live: Arsenal v Newcastle) 4:00pm The Final Whistle with Patrick Kinghorn (In London: Football First Premiership Live: Wigan v Chelsea) 8:00pm Mark Keen 10:00pm-1:00am Mike Dickin.

Meanwhile, Birmingham's Capital Gold and BRMB reportedly provided live commentary of today's Premiership matches involving Birmingham and West Bromwich Albion despite the widely thought suggestion that GCap Media had dropped all football commentary from their radio stations a year ago.

MacKenzie Looks to Front for Comeback
Added: Saturday 13th August

Kelvin MacKenzie has acquired a 6% stake in the owner of Front, the lads' magazine, triggering speculation that the former Sun editor will make his latest media comeback as a publishing executive.

MacKenzie quit as Chief Executive of The Wireless Group earlier this year after leading a failed
management buyout bid for the owner of the talkSPORT radio station. However, a return to media management could be imminent after Highbury House Communications yesterday said one of Fleet Street's most colourful characters had bought a 6% shareholding in the company.

The Wireless Group was sold to Ulster TV in May, triggering the departure of its boss, who described the doomed bidding process as "upsetting and irritating". However, the blow was softened by a £7m cheque for his 6.4% stake in the radio broadcaster. MacKenzie has held talks with The Sun about writing a regular column for the paper but has made it clear that his entrepreneurial ambitions are undimmed, and that he has no intention of retiring to his Côte d'Azur villa.

MacKenzie could not be reached for comment yesterday and a spokesman for Highbury House Communications declined to comment. Highbury would represent a challenge for MacKenzie's management abilities if he were to take control of the company. Its latest internal upheaval came on Thursday, when the company announced the departure of its chief executive, chief financial officer and chief operating officer.

talkSPORT Introduce Regular Midweek Post Match Phone-In
Added: Friday 12th August

talkSPORT will broadcast regular midweek post match football phone-in programmes following busy nights in the Premiership, Football League and Champions League hosted by Adrian Durham.

On Tuesday 9th August following a full programme of fixtures in the Championship and League's One & 2 and Rangers, Manchester United and Everton involved in Champions League Qualifying Round matches, Adrian Durham and Alvin Martin hosted an extra hour of Evening Kick-Off until 11:00pm taking post-match calls and reaction to the night's matches and results.

A midweek post-match football phone-in programme was introduced last season following live Champions League commentary but suggestions were made to talkSPORT to have a post-match phone-in on busy nights even if the station didn't broadcast any live commentary. Evening Kick-Off presenter Adrian Durham said on Tuesday that phone-in programmes on weeknights following busy nights will be a regular fixture throughout the season on talkSPORT. BBC Radio Five Live already broadcast 606 with Spoony on Wednesday between 10:00pm-11:00pm.

Evening Kick-Off will next be on-air until 11:00pm on Tuesday 23rd August following a programme of fixtures in the Premiership and Carling Cup First Round. The following night on Wednesday 24th August, Evening Kick-Off with Adrian Durham will once again stay on-air until 11:00pm following a night of Premiership fixtures. James Whale will get underway at 11:00pm and end at 1:00am as normal on talkSPORT.

Meanwhile, talkSPORT have introduced a new Football First article written by Adrian Durham to their website. It is included on the site in addition to the Coca-Cola Football League column updated every week, also written by talkSPORT's Adrian Durham. And, the new owners could be dropping the jingles and idents which refer to talkSPORT as the UK's biggest commercial radio station. It is understood that they have decided to discontinue with audience research by Swiss media company GFK.

Virgin Radio have signed a deal with the News of the World's Score section to sponsor their Saturday afternoon football and music show hosted by Dominic Johnson. Rock N Roll Football broadcasts between 2:00pm-6:00pm. And following Metro Radio's decision to drop live commentary of Newcastle United's Premiership matches, Century FM have bought the rights to broadcast their matches in the north-east. Century FM also have the rights to Middlesbrough's Premiership matches.

Quinny Looking Forward to talkSPORT's Final Whistle
Added: Saturday 6th August

Former Newcastle & Portsmouth forward Micky Quinn is relishing his new role as co-host of The Final Whistle alongside Patrick Kinghorn beginning Saturday on talkSPORT.

talkSPORT kick-off their coverage of the new season with Football First hosted by Adrian Durham with Alvin Martin and Gary Stevens with updates and reports from the day's Football League matches, but from 5:00pm on Final Whistle Patrick Kinghorn is joined by new co-host Micky Quinn as part of the new look team for talkSPORT's Final Whistle programme.

What is described by the Cambridge Evening News as his biggest media role to date, Quinny isn't fazed by his new appointment: "I've worked on talkSPORT shows, Sky Sports and other radio programmes for several years now and I'm a different Mick Quinn in front of the camera or with a mike in my hand."

talkSPORT's Final Whistle is designed to draw listeners from Alan Green's 606 on BBC Radio Five Live, but Quinny cannot wait to put a dent in the Northern Irishman's audience figures. Green is a man who has built a reputation for being outspoken, as well as one who cuts off ranters in their prime, often preferring to rant himself. Quinn aims to give his callers full rein to air their views, whatever they are: "I'm really looking forward to it. It'll be a show for fans to shoot from the hip and lip, and for me and Patrick to air our honest opinions and to tell things exactly as they are. It'll be far more open than 606."

Despite being a staunch Scouser and a former Newcastle, Coventry and Portsmouth striker, Quinny won't be showing any bias towards any of them: "I have no affiliations with any club, unlike some pundits, who can be a bit mealy-mouthed about their former clubs. I do have favourites, such as Liverpool, Coventry, Portsmouth and the other clubs I played for. I always look out for their results.

"But I won't be afraid to say what I think. Take Chelsea. I reckon Mourinho's been a breath of fresh air, but he's getting on my nerves now he's started moaning. And Arsenal. I reckon they'll miss Viagra, I mean, Vieira, stiffening their midfield. He was the heart of the team and we didn't see the best of him for the last 18 months while he was carrying those two kids, Fabregas and Flamini. And Mannchester United. If Alex Ferguson hadn't bought so many useless players, such as five goalkeepers to replace Peter Schmeichel, or Veron, Djemba Djemba and Forlan, they could have challenged for more titles."

Check out The Final Whistle with Patrick Kinghorn & Micky Quinn every Saturday between 5:00pm-8:00pm with on the ultimate post-match football phone-in programme on talkSPORT.

talkSPORT Scores with Latest RAJAR Audience Figures
Added: Thursday 4th August

talkSPORT has scored higher audience reach of 2.2m listeners and more listening hours than the same period last year, according to the latest RAJAR results for Q2 2005.

talkSPORT's 19.2 million hours are higher than music rival Virgin Radio AM and FM combined, which recorded 16.4 million listening hours. talkSPORT listeners tuned in for an average of 8.7 hours a week, compared to Virgin Radio listeners' average of 6.8 hours. The national commercial sports station also posted a market share of 1.8% compared to Virgin Radio's 1.5%.

talkSPORT's audience profile is becoming increasingly attractive to advertisers, with 79.1% of its audience being male which is up from 76.2% last year and 54.6% ABC1's which is up from 51.8% last year, according to RAJAR. Young men aged 15-24 represent 12% of the talkSPORT audience, with 12.9% in the 25-34 male age group which are both above the previous year's figures

Scott Taunton, Chief Executive of The Wireless Group, says: "This is a ringing endorsement of the talkSPORT speech agenda. The changes we are making for the football season will build on this success and on top of that, we are already gearing up for the World Cup next year which we plan to provide a boost for the station."

Meanwhile, London-based commercial talk station LBC gained 238,000 listeners in the second quarter of 2005 according to the latest RAJAR figures. The station had a weekly reach of 877,000 listeners, a 37.2% increase quarter-on-quarter and a 8.7% rise year-on-year.

talkSPORT Unveil Rodney Marsh on New Look Drivetime
Added: Wednesday 3rd August

Sacked Sky Sports pundit Rodney Marsh has been announced as the new co-host of The Game on talkSPORT alongside current presenter Paul Breen-Turner.

Marsh, who is currently standing-in for Alan Brazil on The Sports Breakfast alongside Graham Beecroft this week, was sacked as pundit on Sky Sports for making a joke about David Beckham and the Asian Tsunami Disaster during the You're on Sky Sports programme with Rob McCaffrey in January. His comments involved a pun on the word tsunami in which he said David Beckham had turned down a £10m contract to sign for Newcastle because he could not possibly go there after what the Toon Army did to Thailand.

However, the former Manchester City and Queens Park Rangers striker, will be joining talkSPORT to co-host The Game every weekday between 4:00pm-7:00pm alongside Paul Breen-Turner. Marsh has co-hosted talkSPORT's afternoon programme with Breen-Turner earlier in the year when they stood-in for Hawksbee & Jacobs for two weeks. He also made appearances on The Final Whistle with Graham Beecroft on Saturday evening towards the end of the 2004-2005 football season.

Paul Breen-Turner and Rodney Marsh is talkSPORT's fourth pairing on The Game with Patrick Kinghorn and Tony Cascarino beginning the year. Cascarino left talkSPORT in February and was replaced by Jason Cundy. A couple of months later both Kinghorn and Cundy were removed from The Game and replaced with Paul Breen-Turner and Mike Parry in May of this year.

Mike Parry will leave his position as co-host on The Game but will continue his role on The Weekend Sports Breakfast with Andy Townsend between 8:00am-12:00pm each Saturday and Sunday throughout the course of the season. There is a suggestion that he could once again team-up with Ian Collins on the mid-morning programme between 10:00am-1:00pm which he did for a couple of months earlier this year.

Football First International Special: Denmark v England
Added: Wednesday 3rd August

talkSPORT will broadcast coverage of England's Friendly International against Denmark on Wednesday 17th August live and direct from Copenhagen.

Adrian Durham hosts a Football First International Special on talkSPORT with coverage of the night's friendly matches involving Austria v Scotland, Wales v Slovenia, Republic of Ireland v Italy and Denmark v England which there will be live commentary from the Parken Stadion in Copenhagen from talkSPORTs commentary team of Chris Cooper and former England international Alvin Martin from 7:00pm.

Reporters will be at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadion in Graz for Austria v Scotland from 8:30pm, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for Wales v Slovenia from 7:45pm and Lansdowne Road for the Republic of Ireland v Italy from 7:30pm. There will be score updates and goal flashes from the rest of the night's International Friendly action throughout the evening.

On Saturday 3rd September, talkSPORT will have updates and reports from England's World Cup Qualifying match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and Northern Ireland v Azerbaijan from Windsor Park in Belfast from 3:00pm during Football First International Special with Adrian Durham.

On Wednesday 7th September, Saturday 8th October and Wednesday 12th October, talkSPORT will have unofficial coverage of England's remaining World Cup Qualifiers against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park and Austria and Poland at Old Trafford respectively. talkSPORT have the broadcast rights for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and are able to provide live commentary from every single match of the tournament. 

The full schedule for Wednesday 17th August on talkSPORT is as follows:

1:00am Mike Mendoza 6:00am The Sports Breakfast with Alan Brazil & Graham Beecroft 10:00am Ian Collins 1:00pm Sportswatch with Andrew McKenna 1:10pm Hawksbee & Jacobs 4:00pm The Game with Paul Breen-Turner & Mike Parry 6:30pm Football First International Special: Denmark v England from the Parken Stadion in Copenhagen 10:00pm-1:00am The James Whale Show.

Meanwhile, the latest audience figures from RAJAR and GfK will be available on this website tomorrow morning with full reaction from Scott Taunton, the new Chief Executive of talkSPORT and The Wireless Group.