[WATCH] Heart will go on: Radio station rings line-up changes in wake of Ford’s exit
NEW SUNDAY: CREW: Keeno Lee and Lloyd Jansen
HeartFM listeners were greeted with a few surprises on Tuesday morning as their new line-up was announced.
The breakfast show said goodbye to Diggy Bongz, while the replacements for axed DJ Clarence Ford was also unveiled.
Veteran radio host Clarence, meanwhile, has started a new online radio station and mense can start listening to him from today.
Clarrie’s popular Sunday show, Me Time, on HeartFM is being replaced by singers Keeno Lee and Lloyd Jansen of The Black Ties, with their show called “SunDaze with Lloyd and Keeno”.
Clarence’s weekday 12-3pm slot on Heart was handed to Lunga Singama, and Heart FM says his show, The Move, is all about the “finer things in life”.
The radio legend was dismissed with immediate effect in December – a day after he announced his decision to quit the popular Cape Town station in February.
Clarence’s sudden exit followed his revelations in a Weekend Argus interview that bullying by a senior manager resulted in his decision to walk out.
Former Heart staff members also spoke of a toxic work environment where bosses allowed sexual harassment to go unpunished.
Clarence, 54, had been with Heart for 24 years.
Heart management, however, denied the allegations and explained that letting Clarence was go was done to “refresh the line-up” in an “ever-changing radio landscape”.
Clarence launched a new online station, called The Wave, on 27 February.
“I am happy to announce that ‘Me Time’ will return on a regular basis on The Wave,” he told the Daily Voice.
“To listen, simply click the link www.catchthewave.co.za My future is ‘The Wave’.
“I have been pregnant with this idea since 1996. I am excited to birth it through a test broadcast tomorrow. I hope it will find your favour.”
Also joining the new line-up at Heart is Expresso TV presenter Jamie-Lee Domburg, who makes her debut on ‘Overdrive with Jamie’ 6-8pm Mondays to Thursdays.
Meanwhile, Diggy says: “The time has come for me to move on and explore my potential in other avenues. The radio listeners in Cape Town received me with such great love, and continued to show me that love from 1998 until now, and for that I will be eternally grateful.”
Heart FM Managing Director Renee Redelinghuys said Bongz’ tenacity, coupled with his big bold personality, will be sorely missed.