BBC Scotland is to cut its popular Saturday music and entertainment radio show hosted by Janice Forsyth.
After running for 18 years, The Janice Forsyth Show will broadcast for the final time on BBC Radio Scotland in July, the presenter confirmed last night.
The show, which features music, entertainment and celebrity guests – including, over the years, such figures as David Bowie, David Byrne and Billy Connolly – has been affected by the shake up at the radio station, which will now favour speech-based programmes during the day and music programmes in the evening.
Yesterday, Forsyth, a freelance presenter who also hosts the Movie Cafe and Comedy Cafe shows, said she would miss the show "hugely".
A spokeswoman for BBC Scotland said the station intends to work with Forsyth on a new show.
Forsyth added: "It has been a big part of my life and I must say I have worked with a brilliant team of people over the years. But living in the real world, as a freelance, you know this can happen at any time.
"I am surprised it is not being replaced with another entertainment programme, but if you are shaking things up, as BBC Scotland are, it makes sense to say 'here is our vision'.
"There is a large audience out there for a music show which is presented in an intelligent way. It has been a great forum for Scottish music, a lot of the Scottish bands will miss us, I think."
Nick Low, producer of the show, said: "The reason we have been given [for the end of the show] is that they want speech during the day and music at night, and having the show on a Saturday morning doesn't fit into that policy.
"We are very disappointed but we have had a good run. I do hope Radio Scotland continue to work with Janice as she's one of the finest broadcasters we have in Scotland. I hope they make a commitment to continue to work with her."
A statement from BBC Scotland said: "The Janice Forsyth Show will come to an end in July as part of a schedule change which will see more news and sports content on Saturday mornings, starting with the launch of Olympic programmes in July.
"BBC Radio Scotland has been evolving to become more speech-based during the day, with music scheduled for evenings which is in line with the BBC Trust-backed strategy of offering programmes that are different from commercial radio and other BBC stations.
"Janice is a terrific broadcaster and continues with her two current shows on BBC Radio Scotland with The Movie Cafe on Thursdays and The Comedy Cafe on Fridays and we very much hope to be starting a new series with Janice next year."
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