Bauer Media is investing in the Magic brand with new talent hires from the world of radio, television, theatre and film in addition to the launch of two brand new national radio stations, Mellow Magic and Magic Chilled. The stations will be broadcast to the nation on the newly launched second national digital radio multiplex alongside fellow Bauer digital brands, KISSTORY, heat radio, Absolute 80s and Planet Rock.

Magic Radio is the most listened to commercial music station in London and entertains an audience of 3.3m across the UK. It adds Mel Giedroyc, star of Mel & Sue, Great British Bake Off and host of the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour to its line-up to present a new Saturday lunchtime show. Meanwhile the station has signed up Nick Snaith on a new breakfast show contract, after he boosted the Magic In The Morning audience by 21% year on year in the recent RAJAR results. Whilst at the other end of the day, Lynn Parsons, formerly of Radio 1, Radio 2 and Smooth, joins Magic as the host of the Mellow Magic evening show.

The Mellow Magic show has been London’s number one evening programme for the last decade and on 14^th March it becomes a national station in its own right, with top presenters alongside a perfect mix of timeless relaxing classics to soothe the busy lives of a 50+ target audience. Artists will span Aretha Franklin to Elton John, Marvin Gaye to Michael Bublé as well as vintage Mellow songs from the likes of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra and Etta James.

Breakfast on Mellow Magic will be hosted by Fran Godfrey on weekdays, familiar to many from her role on Radio 2’s Wake Up To Wogan breakfast show, and former Radio 4 presenter Alice Arnold on weekends. Magic Radio presenter Paul Hayes will host weekday mid-mornings before handing to Patsy Kensit, the actress, singer and model, famous for her roles in Emmerdale and Holby City alongside her appearance in Strictly Come Dancing. Magic Radio’s Gary Vincent will take care of weekday afternoons on Mellow and Arlene Stuart leads weekday evenings, best known for her continuity announcer days on Grampian TV. John Hannah, star of Four Weddings And A Funeral, Sliding Doors and The Mummy, hosts weekend mid-mornings followed by Lynn Parsons who will host weekend lunchtimes, in addition to her main station show before Shaun Evans, Star of ITV’s Inspector Morse prequel ‘Endeavour ’will be  the voice of  Mellow Magic weekend afternoons.

Magic Chilled, a completely new proposition, creates a contemporary music escape with a playlist featuring fresh laidback hits from artists including Adele, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Ellie Goulding, Birdy, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, Jack Johnson, Lana del Rey, Coldplay, Sam Smith and Sia. The presenter line up includes singer Jade Ewen (Sugababes and Disney’s Aladdin) hosting weekday daytimes and TV presenter Pips Taylor (I Never Said Yes, BBC Two and BBC Three; Celebrity Bitchslap News, BBC Three) hosting weekend daytime.

Test transmissions for the stations are now live, as Mellow Magic launches its full service on 14^th March and Magic Chilled on 21^st March. Absolute 80s, KISSTORY, heat radio and Planet Rock will launch their full services on the second digital multiplex from 1^st March.

In order to receive the station’s digital frequencies, make to re-tune your DAB Digital Radio to get the most up to date stations. For more information on how to do this, head to www.getdigitalradio.com/retune