RADIO listeners have inundated station managers with letters of protest after announcing that a long-running show is to be ditched.

BBC Radio Lancashire's late night show, hosted by Bob Roberts, is to be axed due to 'disappointing audiences'.

Roberts has presented the show from the station's Blackburn HQ for six years.

It has been networked across the ten northern BBC local radio stations.

Now, however, the show is set to be replaced in the New Year.

Steve Taylor, station manager, said: "A decision was taken by all the station managers who receive the show to replace Bob's with a news talk programme.

"Programmmes change all the time and I think it was some achievement that Bob's show lasted for six years."

Colin Philpott, head of Manchester station GMR, said: "Audience figures have been very disappointing and in some areas the commercial stations have been beating us with talk-based shows which, considering that is our strength, is ironic.

"No definite date has been set for the new programme yet and a presenter has not been chosen."

Both Mr Taylor and Mr Philpott said they had received a number of letters of complaint about the demise of the show.

Bob Roberts said: "We are getting lots of letters from across the north about the ending of my show."

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