RAJAR: Lyca Radio closes gap to 14k with Sunrise Radio; Lyca Gold delivers record high figures
Lyca Radio Network’s two Asian stations were the biggest gainers in Greater London with Lyca Radio 1458 adding 2,000 listeners from 125,000 to 127,000 listeners. It closes the gap with Sunrise Radio, with just 14,000 separating the two. Lyca Radio’s average listening hours increased from 3.3 to 4.2 hours.
Meanwhile, Lyca Gold made history with its largest ever audience on the 1035AM frequency. It clocked up an additional 7,000 new listeners. Its average listening hours remained at 5.1.
Lyca Group (consisting of the two stations) delivered 199,000 – making it once again the No.1 Asian commercial group in London. In comparison, Sunrise Radio London Group dropped from 180,000 to 171,000.
Raj Baddhan, CEO of Lyca Radio Network said, “We are extremely pleased with this morning’s figures for the Lyca Radio Network. As Lyca Radio (Greater London) marks its twelfth year of broadcasting, the network stands stronger than ever. Lyca Radio continued to attract new listeners, while Lyca Gold retained its position as London’s No.1 Asian retro music station, achieving its highest-ever reach of 116,000. Collectively, the Lyca Group remains the undisputed leading Asian commercial radio network in Greater London.
“We are deeply grateful to our loyal listeners who continue to choose the Lyca Radio Network in an increasingly competitive market. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to our commercial partners for their continued trust in the Lyca brand, and to our exceptional team, whose dedication and hard work have ensured the continued growth and success of the network.
“2026 has already begun on a very strong note, with major competition giveaways including trips to the Maldives and soon Sri Lanka, delivered through our partnerships with Lyca Fly, Qatar Airways, and Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. In addition, the launch of the Lyca Xtra podcast and further expansion plans reflect our commitment to bringing a fresh and innovative approach to UK Asian radio broadcasting. We look forward to sharing much more with our listeners in the months ahead.”
Sunrise Radio London lost 10,000 listeners, going down from 151,000 to 141,000. Its average listening hours went up to 5.1. The gap between Sunrise Radio London and Lyca Radio 1458 has closed to just 14,000 listeners.
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Sunrise Radio’s new Retro station registered 38,000 – up from 37,000 when the station was known as Sunrise Smooth. However, this is preliminary data, with a full release expected in the next quarter for Sunrise Retro. Its average listening hours were at 6.1.
Panjab Radio was down by 8,000. It previously recorded 87,000 and now stands at 79,000. Its average listening hours were also down to 6.1 from 7.3.
Surjit Singh Ghuman MBE, Managing Director of Panjab Radio, said, “The slight dip in reach this quarter was disappointing; however, given the significant changes to both our programming and presenter line‑up in the latter half of 2025, some impact was to be expected. Encouragingly, our listeners continue to tune in for longer than those of any other London‑based, presenter‑led South Asian commercial station.
“Combined with exciting new developments on our app and a series of major competitions in the pipeline, I remain confident as we head into 2026.”
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