Original 106 streams a broad mix of hit music, rock, pop, soul, and dance mostly from the 1980s onward, broadcasting live from studios across Aberdeen, Dundee, Tayside, and Fife in Scotland. You can stream it live and free right now on Radio Shuffle, wherever you are in the world.
Launched With a Beatles Song at 1:06pm
Original 106 first went on air on October 28, 2007, at exactly 1:06 pm, opening with "Revolution" by the Beatles, a fittingly on-the-nose choice for a station named after its frequency, according to Wikipedia's history of the station. The station had picked up its broadcast license from Ofcom back in January 2007, the last new commercial FM license the regulator issued under that licensing round, covering Aberdeenshire, Tayside, and Fife.
The First UK License Won By an Overseas Company
Original 106's early ownership carried a notable first for British radio. Canadian media company Canwest held the license at launch, marking the first time an overseas group had won a UK broadcast license, according to the same Wikipedia history. That international chapter did not last long: in September 2009, Canwest sold the station to a Scottish consortium led by Adam Findlay, John Quinn, and Murray Strachan, bringing ownership back home.
Absorbed Into DC Thomson, Then Rebuilt Kingdom FM Around Itself
Publisher DC Thomson bought Original 106 in March 2019, pairing it with another one of its Scottish radio holdings, Kingdom FM, according to the station's Wikipedia entry. For years the two ran as separate brands, until DC Thomson decided to consolidate its east coast Scottish radio operations under a single identity. Kingdom FM, which had served Fife under its own name for 26 years, disappeared from the dial on January 6, 2025, rebranding as Original 106 and extending the brand's reach into Fife and across into Tayside, according to The Courier's coverage of the rebrand.
Local Breakfast Shows, One Shared Brand
Despite the merger, Original 106 kept its local flavor intact rather than flattening everything into a single national feed. Dave and Vanessa continue hosting the Fife and Tayside breakfast show out of Kirkcaldy, the same slot they built under the Kingdom FM name, while Aberdeen keeps its own separate breakfast team of Claire Kinnaird and Pete McIntosh, according to the Press and Journal. Martin Ingram runs mid-mornings in Aberdeen with a segment called Top Ten at Ten, Craig Lumsden takes the afternoon slot, and Lachlan McKenzie closes out evenings, giving each region its own presenters even as the branding, playlist, and back-office operations sit under one DC Thomson roof.
Tune In
From a Beatles song at 1:06 pm in 2007 to absorbing a 26-year-old Fife institution in 2025, Original 106 has spent nearly two decades consolidating Scotland's east coast into one hit music brand while still keeping local breakfast shows local. Stream it free on Radio Shuffle to hear it live.