Brian Kelly to host Gold AM 'The Country Sport Breakfast'

Brian Kelly, radio announcer for Coast Tauranga will be making a move this new year to Gold AM. Photo / File

Bay of Plenty identity and long-serving radio host Brian "BK" Kelly is the new host of Gold AM's "The Country Sport Breakfast" New Zealand Media and Entertainment has announced.

Launched in July this year, along with Gold FM, with the show delivers rural and regionally focused news and interviews, served up with a big dose of sports information, interviews and opinion.

Gold AM's breakfast show is designed for regional New Zealanders and sports lovers alike, New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME) Head of Talk Jason Winstanley said.

"Calling the Bay of Plenty home, BK's a heartland dwelling, self-confessed sports nut and the voice of New Zealand motorsport for over 40 years, so in many ways, this show is designed just for him."

Kelly has been involved in broadcasting since 1970 in a number of on-air roles, most recently hosting Coast's local Bay of Plenty Breakfast show.

It was like Kelly had "saved up the best job for last" by having the opportunity to host a nationwide network show from Tauranga and to have the mic on two of Kelly's biggest passions, heartland New Zealand and sport, he said.

"Hosting 'The Country Sport Breakfast' from Tauranga has many benefits too. The Bay of Plenty plays such a vital role across so many of New Zealand's primary industries and rural sectors.

"Not only that, the Bay is, without doubt, one of New Zealand's centres of sporting excellence, home not only to All Black Captain Sam Cane but Black Caps Captain Kane Williamson and Team NZ's Peter Burling too," Kelly said.

Toni Street, Jason Reeves and Sam Wallace "Feel Good" breakfast radio show will replace BK's. Photo / Supplied

While it'll be broadcast from NZME's studios in Tauranga "The Country Sport Breakfast" is a nationwide show backed up by the Newstalk ZB and New Zealand Herald network of newsrooms and journalists across the country.

Kelly's move to Gold AM means that in the new year, Coast's Bay of Plenty listeners will be able to catch the popular Coast "Feel Good Breakfast" with Toni Street, Jason Reeves and Sam Wallace on 97.4FM.

NZME Bay of Plenty general manager Greg Murphy said the "Feel Good" breakfast show was a powerhouse.

"Having their show on FM for Bay of Plenty audiences is great news for our listeners but also our commercial partners who'll have access to yet another high octane NZME show to engage with their customers," Murphy said.

GOLD AM - "The Country Sport Breakfast" with Brian Kelly, 6am-9am weekdays starts January 25

COAST – "Feel Good Breakfast" with Toni Street, Jason Reeves and Sam Wallace, 6am-9am weekdays

GOLD AM Frequencies (and available on iHeartRadio):

• Ashburton 702 AM
• Auckland 1332 AM
• Christchurch 1503 AM
• Dunedin 693 AM
• Hawke's Bay 1125 AM
• Manawatu 1089 AM
• Masterton 87.6 FM*
• Nelson 549 AM
• New Plymouth 774 AM / 87.8 FM*
• Northland 729 AM
• Rotorua 1350 AM
• Southland 558 AM
• South Taranaki 1557 AM / 88.2 FM*
• Taupō 107.7 FM*
• Tauranga 1521 AM
• Timaru 1494 AM
• Waikato 792 AM
• Whanganui 1062 AM
• Wellington 1503 AM