The study conducted in October 2022 among audience members confirms among other things, that Heart FM has a loyal follower base, spanning over two decades.

Renee Redelinghuys, managing director for Heart FM, says the station's community enjoys consistency and the refresh aims to give its listeners what they want.

"Our mandate is to continuously improve the listening experience of our loyal Heart FM community. We aim to achieve this by using the findings from our perceptual study to continue evolving and elevating the listener experience," adds Redelinghuys.

Audience favourites such as the longest-running breakfast show in the Cape — Heart Breakfast, will continue in the 06:00 - 09:00 slot as Aden Thomas, Tara Lee Essack and Julian Cranford win hearts in a highly-interactive and entertaining show format.

The biggest change, which is sure to delight audiences, is the return of iconic female presenter Suga to the Afternoon Drive between 15:00 and 18:00 on weekdays. This move is aligned with what audience members have been asking for.

Suga has to date been the host of the massively successful Mid-Mornings with Suga, and this move sees her much-requested return to the prime afternoon slot, leading a stellar team with her unique brand of whip-smart conversation, big laughs and great music.

Her team includes SA Radio Awards Sport Presenter of the Year, Jeremy Harris, and former Expresso presenter Jamie-Lee Domburg, who moves to Afternoon Drive traffic. Domburg previously presented the evening Overdrive show.

Moving into the mid-morning timeslot is another talent that's gained popularity since becoming part of the Heart family. Olwethu Nodada, former Mrs South Africa finalist and known to her fans as 'Lady-O', will share the inside track on the latest:
  • lifestyle trends
  • fashion
  • celebrity gossip, and
  • entertainment news.

Fan-favourite Paul Playdon is set to turn up the heat on weekday evenings with The Hot Spot between 18:00 and 22:00. His new show promises to bring some spicier conversation to Cape Town radio and the latest tracks moving the city.

Former P4, Good Hope FM and e-TV news anchor Ayanda Dlamini make her much-anticipated return to commercial radio. This celebrated media personality, actress and entrepreneur will host the Saturday and Sunday 14:00 to 18:00 slot, bringing a perfect blend of great music and the best the Cape has to offer by way of lifestyle trends and entertainment options.

Traffic and news personality Lynwen Roman hosts Sunday Breakfast between 06:00 and 09:00 while TikTok influencer Peadon Smith moves into Sunday night from 22:00 to 01:00 position.

According to Redelinghuys, the station is freshening the line-up to bring the audience more of what they know and love, boosted by a fresh feel that intends to win new listeners over.

"We are acutely aware that we have built an extremely loyal listener base over the last two and a half decades as well as the importance of being consistent. In an ever-changing radio landscape, we must however remain relevant in order to grow and attract new audiences. With that said, we do believe that this refresh will help us to do just that," Redelinghuys concludes.

For more information, visit www.heartfm.co.za. You can also follow Heart FM on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.