UK Pun Champion 2017 Lovdev Barpaga is to join Free Radio Birmingham's new breakfast show, launching in 2018.

The new show will also feature TV presenter Tim Warwood, actor Lauren Crace and newsreader Mitch Rushton and local comedian Barpaga (pictured right), who won the UK Pun Championships at the Leicester Comedy Festival earlier this year.

Free Radio Content Director David Salt said “Free Radio has an ambition to be number one in Birmingham, a city in the ascendency. We want to match the success of this great city by delivering a breakfast show that truly represents it – we can’t wait to hear it”.

As part of the changes, Dan Kelly will stay with the station as the new host for The Home Run and Naomi Kent also leaves the show and will remain in the Bauer family.

Other moves for the Free Radio schedule include Andy Goulding moving from his show in Birmingham to present The Home Run across Coventry & Warwickshire, whilst David Francis takes the same shift across Wolverhampton, The Black Country and Shropshire.

Commenting on the changes, Free Radio’s Regional Content Director, Mike Newman said “These changes further display our ambition for Free Radio to be the number one commercial station in each of our West Midlands’ TSAs”

The schedule changes in Birmingham will happen on January 22nd, 2018.