The previously reported new NME Radio service, which launches next month, has announced that there will be a one off radio reunion for Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington during the station's test transmissions.
As previously reported, the digital radio spin off of NME is being masterminded by Sammy Jacob, the original founder of Xfm, and it was at Xfm back in the early days that he first brought Gervais and Merchant to the airwaves.
On his decision to invite them back to his new radio station he told CMU: "Hearing Ricky, Steve and Karl in action again will no-doubt keep me on my toes. I used to bury myself hearing Ricky and Steve on air in 1997 fearing we would lose our license each time they went on. Having Karl on board has only made matters worse. I look forward to some compelling radio".
The test transmissions for NME Radio will begin on 2 Jun, with the Gervais and Mechant show aired at various times after 9 Jun. The station will be available via http://www.nme.com/radio, and will roll out onto Sky and Virgin Media in due course. There are also plans to broadcast the station via DAB digital radio in certain areas, and to stage regular so called RSL broadcasts in different cities which would put the station on FM in that area for a month.