Martin Kelner makes Leeds radio return on Ken Bates' station

A RADIO station set up by former Leeds United owner Ken Bates has snapped up popular city disc jockey Martin Kelner less than a fortnight after he was sacked by the BBC.
Martin Kelner.Martin Kelner.
Martin Kelner.

Kelner, who sounded off in a blog about “gutless, brainless” bosses at BBC Radio Leeds, has been signed to present two shows for Radio Yorkshire, a digital station which broadcasts from a studio opposite Leeds United’s Elland Road ground.

The new show, The Martin Kelner Takeover, will see the veteran presenter and journalist host two three-hour programmes of music, comedy and chat.

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They will be broadcast 7-10pm on Thursday, April 14 and Thursday, May 5.

Kelner said: “I’m delighted to be back on the radio. Having been given free rein over playlist and speech content, I can’t wait to treat listeners to the ever-popular mix of psycho-garage punkabilly music & news features from outlying areas of Yorkshire like Bishop’s Stortford and Guatemala.”

Radio Yorkshire’s director of broadcasting, Sam Brydges, said: “This is a new direction for us. It’s a show format we’ve wanted to try for a while and now we’ve found the perfect person to kick it off. Martin is one of the finest, funniest voices in the country and we are delighted to have him on Radio Yorkshire.”

Kelner won the support of many fellow presenters, including Danny Baker, after he wrote online about his firing by Radio Leeds, which, he said, was carried out in less than five minutes without warning.

He said the timing followed his repayment of sick pay to the BBC following a period of leave with an abdominal tumour.