Tim Cocker has been axed from the Xfm breakfast show to be replaced by Chris Moyles in a shake-up of the radio station.

Former Radio 1 host Moyles will head up a nationwide early-morning show on new station 'male-focussed' Radio X, which will replace Xfm.

Cocker will present his last 6am to 10am show on Friday, September 11, after five and a half years waking Manchester up with rock and indie anthems.

Moyles will return to breakfast presenting following a four-year career break, after fronting the BBC’s Radio 1 show from 2004 to 2012 before he was replaced by Oldham-born Nick Grimshaw.

The show will be broadcast from a studio in London. Joining Moyes at Radio X will be Bolton-born Vernon Kay on mid-mornings, Johnny Vaughan at drivetime and Kaiser Chiefs frontman Ricky Wilson at weekends.

Inspiral Carpets keyboardist Clint Boon, who currently presents the Xfm Manchester drivetime show, will instead present a weekend show for Radio X.

Presenter Gareth Brooks posted this cryptic tweet earlier this morning - but it has since been announced that he'll be leaving the station.

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Confirming the news of his departure on his Twitter feed, Cocker posted what looked like a hand-written note, and said: “I wanted you to know that Friday, 11th September will be mine and Jim’s last and in fact the last XFM Manchester Breakfast show.

“The past 5 1/2 years have been the best days....I wish Radio X and the team in London well.

“Thank you for choosing to listen to us ...you made the show and we laughed every day”

Cocker signed off the note by saying he plans to spend time with his two children before scrawling ‘watch this space.’

Radio X, run by Global, is to be the “first truly male-focused” station, targeted at 25-44 year olds.

Global’s founder and executive president, Ashley Tabor, said: “I’ve had a great summer hearing some of the funniest rumours I’ve ever heard. I’m pleased we can now confirm the industry’s best kept secret, we are indeed launching a brand new national radio station on Monday September 21.

“Radio X will focus on fresh rock and guitar-based music alongside huge personalities. And personalities don’t get any bigger than Chris Moyles.

“Chris is a broadcasting genius and as Global makes a multi-million pound investment in launching Radio X on a national scale, I couldn’t think of anyone better to host the station’s breakfast show. Along with Vernon Kay, Johnny Vaughan and Ricky Wilson, the UK has never had a radio station like Radio X before.”

Radio X’s strapline is Get Into the Music and in the coming months Moyles will be travelling around the country to host a series of live music events.