BBC Radio Ulster launches the refresh of its evening and weekend schedule from tomorrow, Monday 24 April.
As unveiled last month, teatime gets a reboot as Vinny Hurrell and Cate Conway come together to kickstart evenings on the station.
The pair will be shaking off the day every Monday – Thursday from 6pm with 90 minutes of top tunes and chat including entertaining interviews with a range of famous names.
In the Dear Vinny and Cate section of the programme they will be asking listeners to contact them with questions which they will endeavour to answer. Weird News looks at the more unusual things making the headlines, while every Thursday from 7-7.30pm The Mystery Mix Tape will offer a full half hour of songs transporting listeners back to a chosen year. The Weekly Challenge will see Vinny and Cate invite each other to try to learn something new.
To contact the programme email: metime@bbc.co.uk
Specialist music programmes remain at the heart of the evening-time schedule.
Ralph McLean presents his popular music shows Monday to Wednesday from 8-10pm. The Late Show With Eve Blair is extended to two hours, broadcasting from 10pm-midnight every Monday to Thursday.
The regular Irish language programme Blas moves to a new 7.30-8pm slot each Monday to Thursday. And Blas Ceoil now has a Thursday evening slot between 8-9pm.
The Ticket, with Kathy Clugston, is in a new Friday afternoon slot between 3-4pm, helping listeners plan their weekend. The show include news and information about what’s happening in the world of arts and entertainment, reviews, previews and guest interviews.
Weekend listening on BBC Radio Ulster gets properly underway on Friday evenings with a line-up of great music programmes and well-known presenters.
Across The Line Introducing with Gemma Bradley moves to a new early evening slot each Friday between 6pm-7pm. And there’ll be more brilliantly curated music from Stephen McCauley in a brand new three hour programme from 7-10pm that will feature new music from local and international acts and live performances. Friday nights will then reach a perfect musical conclusion with The Mickey Bradley Record Show from 10pm to midnight.
Many of the music programmes throughout the week will be produced from BBC Radio Foyle.
Saturday With John Toal is extended by an hour, broadcasting from 11am-1pm on Saturdays. Phil Taggart’s high-energy House Party will have a new slot on Saturday evenings from 6-8pm, followed by Folk Club with Lynette Fay, 8-10pm.
Morning Service each Sunday morning will now begin at 10am and will be followed by Thought for the Week, an edited compilation of reflections from Thought for the Day, presented by Audrey Carville.
Countryside, with Nicola Weir, builds on the success of Farming Matters, revelling in all things rural and Northern Ireland’s great outdoors and moves to a new Sunday afternoon slot between 2-3pm. And it will be followed by The Culture Café from 3-4pm with Marie Louise Muir and guests.
BBC Radio Foyle’s new, half-hour breakfast-time news programme, North West Today starts on Monday 24 April at 8.30am. It will have an exclusive focus on stories from and about the North West. It will be complemented by hourly weekday news bulletins until 3.00pm, extended lunchtime bulletins, and a significant enhancement of digital news provision from the BBC’s newsroom in Foyle.
The Mark Patterson Show will move to an earlier midday slot, followed by Hugo Duncan at 1.30pm and Sean Coyle at 3.00pm.
All programmes will be available on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle.