Entertainment icon Donny Osmond is returning to the air waves—this time as the host of a new radio show.
Entertainment icon Donny Osmond is returning to the air waves—this time as the host of a new radio show.The 52-year-old Dancing with the Stars champ will make his radio debut on January 18 on about 60 stations across the U.S. The show, which will air weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is aimed at a wide audience, but is primarily intended for women who listen to adult contemporary or classic hits during the day.
“[The show] really gives ownership to the listener, and what we’re trying to do is get them through the workday with some great music and some fun stories, little anecdotes, and a very positive outlook in the five hours I’ll be programming,” Osmond told the Associated Press.
Osmond will record segments on his laptop computer, which will then be delivered to radio stations by syndication network Citadel Media, in partnership with McVay Syndication.
“Donny Osmond is a classic American performer who has spent the majority of his life bringing smiles to audiences around the world and continues to captivate his tremendous fan base today,” said Carl Anderson, senior vice president of programming and distribution for Citadel Media.
“Our team is extremely proud to be part of introducing The Donny Osmond Show to radio listeners across the country,” added Mike McVay, president of McVay Syndication. “Donny is such a relatable, natural personality and has historically drawn the interest of a wide-ranging audience. His recent popularity on 'Dancing with the Stars' has reminded all of us what a dynamic performer he is.”
Despite the radio industry’s financial slump, Osmond is optimistic about the success of the show.
“I’ve been in this business since dirt was created, so I’ve seen a lot of incarnations of this business,” he told the press. “And so many people would say, ‘Television is the death of radio,’ and as history has shown, it isn’t, it wasn’t, and it never will be.”
Osmond, who began performing at age four, receives about 120 million hits annually to his website, donny.com. He and his sister, Marie, have been performing about six shows a week at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel since September 2008. The show, which was originally scheduled for six months, was immediately extended until October 2010 due to its overwhelming popularity. Osmond also occasionally hosts the nationally syndicated entertainment news show "The Insider," and continues to work as a special correspondent for its sister show, "Entertainment Tonight."
In the past, Osmond has hosted television game shows, as well as a talk show with Marie. He has also performed on Broadway, most notably as the title character in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, "and as the villainous Gaston in Disney’s "Beauty and the Beast." To date, Osmond has sold more than 80 million albums.