Petition launched to bring back Joel and Lorna to Heart radio breakfast show

Thousands of fans of former Heart radio breakfast presenters Joel Ross and Lorna Bancroft have signed a petition urging the station’s bosses to change their minds and reinstate the pair.

Popular duo Joel and Lorna were axed from the Heart North West breakfast show last month – to make way for a new national breakfast show hosted by TV stars Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston.

It left fans across the region heartbroken  – and thousands are calling for the duo to be put back on the airwaves.

One, Gareth Jennings, has set up a petition on the website Change.org, calling on Heart to “Bring back Joel and Lorna”.

The petition has already received almost 8,000 signatures.

Many fans gave their reasons for signing the petition, revealing how gutted they are about the changes.

Amanda Beirne wrote: “They made every dull morning bright, travelling into work with tears rolling down your face with laughter, who else could make the start of our day that good ? #feelgoodfactor” while Donna Burt said: “I LOVE listening to the music and banter it cheered me up every morning and was a great experience listening to them both BRING THEM BACK.”

Sallie Macklin wrote: “I think it’s awful the Heart radio have taken the personal touch out of the breakfast show. People want to hear people who sound like them, who live similar lives. We’re not all obsessed with London.”

Neither Joel or Lorna, who presented the show in the north west for the last five years, have buy valium mastercard spoken about the public reaction to their departure, or confirmed what their next career moves will be.

The shake-up by station owners Global has meant the end of 22 popular regional breakfast shows across the UK in favour of the one national show broadcast from London – and it has led to a huge outpouring of anger from fans of local presenters across the country.

Britain’s Got Talent star Amanda and TV favourite Jamie Theakston started the all-new Heart Breakfast on Monday, with a raft of big star names appearing all this week, including David Walliams and Keith Lemon.

But it has failed to impress a number of angry listeners – and a further petition has been set up asking to bring back ALL Heart regional presenters across the UK on the Change.org website, signed by over 10,000 people by Thursday afternoon.

Started by Imogen Smith, the petition has been addressed directly to Global CEO Ashley Tabor.

The petition says: “Our local radio stations have been completely ruined by the decision to cut our breakfast presenters! Replaced by two “big names” who certainly don’t need/suit this job at all, we miss our personal, lovely presenters! BRING BACK THE REGIONAL PRESENTERS! They made everyone’s mornings brighter and they are now out of jobs! Disgraceful business decision. GET OUR PRESENTERS BACK!!”

We approached Global for a comment about the petitions but they declined to comment.

But a spokesman did say the new Heart Breakfast contains more local news and traffic information than ever before.