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On Monday 30 March, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Southern Counties listeners in Surrey and North East Hampshire will be waking up to a new name for their favourite station, ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey.

And Danny Pike is joining the team to present the mid-morning programme. Danny will start in May.

Explaining the decision to rename Surrey's ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ local radio station, Managing Editor Nicci Holliday said: "The move from SCR to ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey is part of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s efforts to better reflect the needs of our communities. Today's announcement marks the culmination of a yearlong project for our station developing content that is relevant to the two very distinct counties we serve. It also fits in with the roll out of the new branding for the whole ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Local Radio service.

"We now provide dedicated weekday breakfast and drive time programmes for listeners in Surrey as well their own specific travel service and news bulletins. Plus sports fans can also follow their local teams on the split frequencies. And so by rebranding as ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey our name now reflects what we do.

"Anyone familiar with the station's history will know that ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sussex and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey are not new names. However, unlike previous arrangements, the name change announced today acknowledges that both should be equal while recognising the counties' individual personalities."

Danny will be presenting the new-look weekday show for ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sussex and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey from 26 May bringing his own brand of broadcasting to the station.

Looking forward to his new show, Danny commented: "It is great to be joining ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey at such an exciting time for the station. Funnily enough my very first paid radio job was in Guildford, back in 1987. I started at County Sound, in the studio above the Friary. So it's a bit of home coming. Plus both my brothers work in Surrey so I am sure they'll be the first people on if don't give Surrey listeners the attention they deserve.

"After nearly 12 years of presenting a breakfast show, moving to mid-morning will be a change, it will be a different type of show. But I am really keen that it becomes something people like me want to listen to. We'll have plenty of good music which I am passionate about. There'll be lots of humour and intelligent chat, plus we'll be working hard to get you all the best celebrities as they pass through the region."

Welcoming Danny, Nicci added: "We are delighted Danny has decided to join ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sussex and ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey. He will be a fantastic addition to the station and brings with him a huge amount of radio and life experience. He really impressed us with his ideas, creativity and passion for everything we are trying to do.

"The new mid-morning programme will be full of great entertainment as well discussion of the issues that matter to our listeners. Danny is set to go live on May 26 and we look forward to hearing what people think."

From Monday 30 March 2009, Southern Counties Radio will become ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Surrey broadcasting on 104.0 and 104.6 FM. On frequencies 93.5, 104.5 and 104.8 FM listeners will hear ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sussex.

Notes to Editors

The History of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Southern Counties Radio

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Local Radio has been broadcasting in Sussex since 1968, initially as ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Brighton. It was expanded to serve the whole county in 1983.

A service for Surrey launched in 1991 as an opt-out of ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Sussex, broadcasting from our Guildford studio, and carrying Sussex programmes between its own local output.

The stations were combined in 1993 and then renamed ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Southern Counties Radio in 1994. ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ SCR was originally launched as an all-talk service in 1994 serving Sussex, Surrey and North East Hampshire.

In 1997 the station was re-launched with three breakfast shows and music was introduced to the daytime schedule.

Pictures of Danny Pike are available on request.

HB