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Saturdays from 13 March 2010, 11.00am-2.00pm

One of the South of England's most distinctive radio personalities is back on the air this month, as Alex Dyke joins ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Solent.

For nearly 20 years Alex was the voice of his native Isle of Wight, with his straight-talking, sometimes irreverent but always engaging brand of radio.

Now, after a spell presenting for ESPN Radio in Florida, he's back on home turf to provide Solent listeners with a Saturday lunchtime soundtrack guaranteed to raise a smile.

Speaking as he and his family prepared to return home, Alex said: "I'm lucky enough to do a job I love and have been able to keep doing it pretty much every day for over 20 years.

"But the opportunity to present on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Solent is not one I would want to miss.

"I've loved working on American radio, it's been a great year and a great experience. But we are also excited to be coming home.

"When people asked what I missed about home I'd never say teabags or other stuff like that, I'd say Top Gear and Radio Solent!"

For the show, on Saturdays from 11.00am to 2.00pm, Alex will be lifting the lid on a box of musical guilty pleasures which he calls "Bubblegum and Cheese" – no, not a new sandwich filling, but a reprise of his legendary fun music show which promises to delight his fans on the Island and beyond.

Talking about his new show Alex added: "We want the show to jog memories and raise a smile.

"So, if you swooned to David Cassidy's Could It Be Forever or danced the night away to the Monkees' Daydream Believer, we'll certainly be the place to be on a Saturday."

But the show won't all be about the music. As someone born and bred in the region, Alex is keen celebrate all the south has to offer.

He says: "I am really passionate about the south and this new show will give us a chance to shout about all the good things that are going on, as we'll be featuring live reports from the big events that are part of life here at the weekends."

Alex Dyke's radio pedigree goes back to the Eighties when he worked for Radio Luxembourg and then for Hampshire's Ocean Sound.

More recently he hosted a late-night phone-in show networked across 28 local stations throughout England.

Welcoming Alex to Radio Solent, Managing Editor Chris Carnegy said: "I am so pleased Alex has agreed to bring his talents to Solent and join our weekend line-up.

"He's a seasoned radio presenter who's been on the region's airwaves for 25 years.

"But the two things I'm most keen to take advantage of are his passion for our patch – he's born and bred on the Isle of Wight – and his encyclopaedic musical knowledge.

"We are delighted to have snapped him up on his return to the UK."

Catch Alex Dyke on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Solent on 96.1 & 103.8 FM, and DAB digital radio, on Saturdays from 13 March 2010, 11.00am-2.00pm.

HB