Times Radio listeners hit record high

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, August 6, 2026

Times Radio has increased its weekly audience to 660,000 listeners in Q2 2026, marking a 7% rise from the previous year, driven largely by expanded breakfast programming. This growth highlights the station’s success in attracting engaged listeners through expert analysis and high-profile interviews during a period of political uncertainty.

Times Radio has reached a new audience milestone, attracting 660,000 weekly listeners in the second quarter of 2026, according to data released by Rajar, the independent radio audience measurement organization. This represents a 7 percent increase from the 616,000 weekly listeners recorded in the same period last year.

The growth in listenership coincides with changes to the station’s breakfast programming. Kate McCann joined Stig Abell as a weekday breakfast presenter in February 2025, followed by Rosie Wright stepping in alongside Calum Macdonald for the weekend breakfast show in March 2026. The breakfast segment has been a key driver of overall growth, expanding its audience by nearly one-third compared to the previous year.

Listeners are engaging more deeply with the station, with total listening hours rising by over 20 percent to almost 6 million weekly hours. Since its launch in 2020, Times Radio has positioned itself as a source of informed and measured discussion, with breakfast show host Stig Abell describing the program as “smart and informal, rather than stuffy or shouty.”

Recent programming has featured high-profile interviews covering a range of topics, including former prime minister Sir Tony Blair’s critique of Labour’s net zero targets, Jeremy Clarkson discussing farmers’ increasing support for Reform UK, and French activist and rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot addressing the influence of pornography.

Scott Taunton, president of broadcasting at News UK, the station’s parent company, attributed the rise in audience figures to a strong appetite for expert analysis and robust debate amid ongoing political uncertainty. Times Radio continues to build on its position in a competitive market by focusing on topical content and in-depth conversations with notable figures.

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