Weekly radio listenership across the UK has reached an unprecedented 51 million people, marking an increase of over two million listeners since 2022.
Recent digital launches are driving the surge, including news channels Times Radio and GB News, alongside BBC spin-offs such as Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1 Anthems and Radio 3 Unwind.
Audience numbers are further bolstered by an expanding selection of commercial spin-off channels, including Hits Radio 00s and Capital Anthems.
While audience sizes for the BBC’s main flagship stations stayed constant or fell marginally, Radio 2 retains its position as the nation's most popular station by a comfortable margin.
Research organisation Rajar reported that an average of 51.1 million adults aged 15 and above tuned in weekly between April and June, rising from 50.6 million in the preceding three months.
The total stood at 49.0 million four years earlier, in April-June 2022. The latest figures feature the first quarter-on-quarter comparisons for the BBC’s newest digital spin-offs, all of which enjoyed an increase in listeners.
Radio 1 Anthems saw its weekly audience jump 40% from 417,000 in January-March to 584,000 in April-June, Radio 1 Dance is up 41% from 437,000 to 615,000, while Radio 3 Unwind has risen by 5% from 388,000 to 408,000.
All three stations have been available on digital radio since September 2025.
Times Radio and GB News both enjoyed their highest audience to date in the latest figures, with Times Radio attracting an average of 660,000 listeners a week, up 9% from 604,000 in the previous three months, and GB News pulling in 731,000, up 8% from 676,000.
Capital Anthems – one of group of spin-offs belonging to the Capital brand – saw its audience jump 17% from 626,000 to 735,000.
Simon Pitts, chief executive of the Global media company – which owns the Capital stations, said: “”Radio is delivering record audiences, with commercial radio thriving and I’m delighted to see Global leading the way.
“The latest set of Rajar results underscores the strength of our radio brands.”
Capital Anthems is one of several recently-launched commercial spin-off stations that have seen an increase in listeners.
Another is Hits Radio 00s, which saw listeners rise 6% from 357,000 to 377,000, and which belongs to the Bauer media company.
Elsewhere, Scott Mills’ departure from the BBC Radio 2 breakfast slot at the end of March did not lead to a marked drop in listeners to the show, with audiences averaging 6.37 million in April-June, down only slightly from 6.42 million in the previous three months.
Mills was sacked by the BBC from his job as host of the show shortly before it emerged the Metropolitan Police had launched an investigation into the 53-year-old in 2016, over allegations of serious sexual offences involving a teenage boy under 16 between 1997 and 2000.
Gary Davies filled in as presenter in April, May and June, with full-time replacement Sara Cox taking over from July 6.
The Radio 2 breakfast show continues to be the most popular radio programme broadcast in the UK at that time of the day.
The total average weekly audience for Radio 2 in April-June was 12.37 million, down slightly from 12.57 million in January-March.
Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said: “I’m delighted that Radio 2 remains the UK’s most popular single radio station in the UK.
“People are tuning in for over 11 hours each week, which is almost a four-year high.
“Congratulations to Vernon Kay, who hosts the UK’s most listened to radio show with a weekly audience of 6.8 million, his highest figure since 2024.
“Our 65-plus audience has also risen to a five-year high, and I’d like to congratulate Tony Blackburn, Radio 2’s very own national treasure, whose Sunday evening Golden Hour recorded its highest audience figure since 2021.”
Radio 4’s Today programme saw almost no change in listeners in the latest Rajar figures, with an average weekly audience of 5.61 million in April-June compared with 5.67 million in January-March.
The overall audience for Radio 4 was 8.93 million, down from 9.15 million in the previous quarter.
