A POPULAR DJ is returning to radio.

Jack The Lad was a popular host on Heart until it closed its Portslade studio and he will take to the airwaves once again with his new breakfast show on More Radio.

The DJ – real name Jack Hayes – has been a regular fixture on breakfast radio in the county for more than a decade.

His breakfast show on Heart FM with fellow presenters Tom Evans and Nicola Hume became an integral part of the morning routine for thousands of radio listeners, as he took them with him on a personal journey that saw him fall in love, get married and become a proud father.

Back in June, changes within the industry left Jack without a job in radio.

After 15 years at the station, he was left jobless as Heart attempted to nationalise the breakfast show by relocating its studios to Hampshire and London.

Now, five months after his last radio show, Jack is back as part of More Radio’s new breakfast show.

He said: “I am thrilled to be joining the team at More Radio and in particular Nick and Lou at breakfast.

“Everybody who knows me was stunned when I told them I was going back on air as I had sworn I would never go back to breakfast radio.

“But, having met the team and talked about the vision of the radio station I really couldn’t resist dipping my toes into the water one more time.”

The DJ, who lives in Henfield, is set to team up with Nick Osborne and Lou Nash on More Radio – the Sussex based commercial station that broadcasts to Worthing, Mid Sussex, Eastbourne and Hastings on FM and across the county on DAB digital radio.

He will be returning to the breakfast show from Friday next week in a move that is hugely exciting both for More – and for the thousands of Jack The Lad fans who have missed a familiar voice at breakfast time.

Pete McIntosh, programme controller at More Radio, said: “It has taken a while to make this happen but will definitely be worth the wait. When we knew Jack was available, we knew we had to get him on board.

“It will bring an exciting new dimension to our breakfast show, as well as an opportunity for Jack fans across Sussex to be reunited with one of their favourite broadcasters. He is a hugely likeable guy with a natural ability to say what everyone else is thinking.

“First and foremost, though, he is a husband and a dad with a wealth of relatable stories to share and tell.”

Ahead of his new show Jack and, Tom, who now works for BBC Sussex, and Nicola, currently doing some freelance work, reunited for a “carpool karaoke” video reminiscing on their time at Heart FM.