Coast Drive hosts Mel Homer and JT broadcast from Opua Cruising Club

New Coast Drive Show hosts, Mel, left, and JT visit Whangārei ahead of broadcasting their show from Opua Cruising Club yesterday and today. Photo / John Stone

Northland has a new afternoon drive-time radio show in Coast Drive and its hosts Mel and JT are in the region broadcasting from the Bay of Islands.

The Coast radio station is now on FM in Northland on 106.0 FM and the new Coast Drive show started last week. Yesterday and today the show, which runs from 3pm to 7pm, is broadcast from the Opua Cruising Club to mark the Bay of Islands Sailing Week.

Host Mel Homer said the show would be a fun, informal affair with plenty of banter between her and JT and the pair want plenty of listener input.

''It will be a bit irreverent, but definitely lots of fun. I've known JT for 10 years and we're good friends, but this is the first time we've worked together so there'll be some good inter-personal dynamics between us,'' she said.

''But we really want and encourage listeners to contact us and be part of the show so please, text us, email us, call in, facebook, however you want to get in touch do so. We'll also have lots of prizes and giveaways for them too.''

Homer said the show was designed to be a fun way to unwind at the end of the day and she and JT both knew Northland well and would give Northlanders a great drive time experience.

''We want to talk to as many Northlanders as we can so don't be shy.''

JT lived in Whangārei for four years from 1999 to 2003 on then KCC FM and said he loved his whole time in the north.

''It feels a bit like coming home, I love it here. I love the people and the lifestyle is just so cruisy and laid-back, the perfect market for a station like Coast,'' he said.

''Northlanders have a real sense of fun about them and we want to have fun with them too.''

Coast Drive, hosted by Mel and JT, will be broadcast from the Opua Cruising Club, Baffin St, Opua, from 3pm to 7pm today.