Ballyshannon broadcaster Andrea Gilligan has been chosen to head up a new national breakfast show.

Newstalk has today announced the launch of a new early morning news programme with Donegal native Andrea Gilligan as the lead host.

‘Breakfast Briefing’ will broadcast from 6.00am to 6.30am and will be first with the top news stories of the morning and setting the agenda for the day. It will be the only live news programme on radio at this time.

Andrea has worked for Newstalk for five years as the afternoon News Anchor. The well-known broadcaster presents ‘Between the Lines’ on Sunday mornings and is a familiar voice to Newstalk audiences as a regular stand-in presenter on ‘Newstalk Breakfast’ and ‘Lunchtime Live’.

Andrea Gilligan

Speaking about the new show, Andrea Gilligan said: “I’m very excited to be a part of the daily schedule on Newstalk and I look forward to joining listeners from 6am and being the first to bring them the top stories that will shape their day.”

Commenting on the decision to start the weekday schedule at 6.00am, Chris Doyle of Newstalk said: “The decision to launch this programme comes after significant listener feedback from commuters who expressed a strong desire for an early morning news programme.

“The number of commuters leaving before 6.30am has increased 49% in recent years and until now the national airwaves did not reflect this. It is important that Newstalk responds to this demand and reflect the change in listeners’ lives’.”

‘Breakfast Briefing’ with Andrea Gilligan will commence from 27th August.