Radio station suddenly axed after 21 years with host who 'didn't even get to say goodbye'

A much-loved radio station has been axed after 21 years - with a presenter on the show revealing he "didn't even get to say goodbye" to his listeners.

Time 107.5FM stopped broadcasting earlier this month after it was rebranded as Nation Radio London following a takeover from Nation Broadcasting. The station had been operating since 2004 and was broastcast to the west Essex area and east London.

Host Neil Andrews had presented the station's breakfast show for 18 years until he was suddenly taken off air on August 1.

He told the Romford Recorder: "Nobody had any idea it was happening. I finished my breakfast show at 10am on August 1, came off air and was told that was it – it’s over and the programmes were coming to an end at 2pm that afternoon.

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"It was as abrupt as that. What hurt me more than anything else was that I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye."

Explaining he's worked in radio for 30 years, he said that he knows everything comes to an end. But added: "It would have been nice to have said goodbye to the loyal listeners who rung us up on a daily basis."

He further said that the abrupt axing of the station has had a huge effect on the presenters who, while all freelancers, had relied on the station for work opportunities.

Describing themselves as their "own bosses", he said that it was a "real shame" when such opportunities go. He added: "Everyone in Romford was passionate and loved what they did - they were such a lovely team."

He did, however, criticise how the former owners of the station, Lyca Media II Ltd, had run it. Branding it "shockingly run from above", he insisted that they "never gave us a chance" and pointed out that they had been "underfunded".

Neil continued: "I have nothing but admiration for everybody – everyone working there including all my colleagues worked really hard to make the station what it was."

Lyca boss Raj Badhan previously said in a statement: "Whilst we continue investing in our south Asian radio stations, our time as owners of 107.5 is ending. We wish the station’s employees and clients well as it becomes part of the Nation Broadcasting Group.”

While Nation Broadcasting founder Jason Bryant said: "London is an increasingly important market for Nation and holds significant growth potential.

"The ability to launch Nation Radio on FM to a large part of the capital alongside DAB, presents an attractive opportunity to increase the reach of the station and to market our wider range of services, including the Nation Player app, to London.”

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