Heart Radio Makes History: Becomes Britain’s Most-Listened-To Radio Network

A Historic Milestone in British Broadcasting

Global’s Heart has achieved a historic breakthrough in British radio broadcasting, becoming the UK’s most popular radio brand by reaching an impressive 13.4 million listeners weekly, surpassing BBC Radio 2 for the first time.

Record-Breaking Performance

While BBC Radio 2 recorded 13.1 million listeners, Heart’s achievement reflects a broader trend in commercial radio’s growth, which now commands 54.9% of total listening, up from 54.2% the previous year.

Global’s portfolio has demonstrated remarkable growth, achieving a 5.2% year-on-year increase to reach 27.6 million weekly listeners and securing a record 27.3% listening share. The success extends beyond Heart, with Capital increasing its weekly reach by 13.7% to 9.4 million, and Smooth growing by 19.6% to 7.8 million.

Programming Excellence

The station’s flagship show, Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden, continues to dominate with 4.3 million weekly listeners, maintaining its position as the UK’s biggest commercial breakfast show. The show has shown growth in reach, hours, and share, particularly notable following Jamie Theakston’s return after treatment for stage one laryngeal cancer.

Innovation and Expansion

Heart’s expansion strategy is proving successful, with new sister stations launched last September showing strong performance. Heart Musicals, in particular, has achieved record-breaking figures with 216,000 weekly listeners, gaining an additional 82,000 listeners in just three months.

Ashley Tabor-King CBE, Founder & Executive President of Global, celebrated this achievement as ‘a huge moment’ after 18 years of dedication from the team. He expressed gratitude to the staff and listeners, noting that this milestone marks what he describes as ‘the golden era of commercial radio broadcasting’.