Commercial station Greatest Hits Radio is preparing for its latest incarnation after Radio Borders joined the ‘family’ of seven Scottish heritage names also adopting the new brand.

Owned by Bauer, the reformulated station will launch on 3 April when it replaces Clyde 2, Forth 2, MFR 2, Tay 2, Northsound and Westsound (Ayrshire) and (Dumfries and Galloway).

Radio Borders recently vacated its premises in Galashiels to be based with Forth in Edinburgh.

Last week Bauer announced the signing of Radio 2 veteran Ken Bruce who stunned his loyal listeners by quitting the BBC to join the new line-up. Bruce, who replaces Mark Goodier, is bringing his long-running PopMaster quiz to the network.

Greatest Hits Radio is being billed as Scotland’s first nationwide commercial station, though it will take inserts shared centrally.

Ewen Cameron and Cat Harvey will bring a local flavour, while Bruce and Simon Mayo are among those who will be broadcast across the UK.

Glasgow-born Bruce, who now lives in Oxfordshire, is leaving the BBC after more than four decades – 31 of them spent presenting his morning show on Radio 2. His PopMaster has been a fixture for 25 years.

He has also presented the station’s coverage of Eurovision since 1988, and has been a regular presenter of Sunday Night is Music Night.

“Nothing stays the same for ever and I have decided the time is right for me to move on from Radio 2 when I reach the end of my current contract in March,” he said, in a statement released later by the BBC.

“It’s been a tremendously happy time for me: I’ve made many friends and worked with many wonderful colleagues. However, I feel that after 45 years of full-time broadcasting on BBC Radio, it’s time for a change.”