A NEW programme, which links servicemen in the war against terrorism with their friends and families in the UK, was launched on Monday by talkSPORT and Forces Radio BFBS.

The show is called Touching Base and will be broadcast weekdays from noon to 1 pm.

Touching Base will be presented live by talkSPORTs veteran broadcaster Mike Dickin and will be simulcast on Forces Radio BFBS2 - the Forces radio station that is received world-wide by troops in the Gulf, including the Oman, Germany, Cyprus, the Falklands, Kosovo, Gibraltar, Belize and Brunel. It is also being received in many Royal Navy warships.

The show will be a mixture of music dedications, messages to and from loved ones, news and sports updates for servicemen and women abroad ... and news of life on British overseas bases. Every day, Mike will link up live with a military base abroad.

Mike Dickin, who will continue to present his current affairs programme from 10 am on weekdays and Sundays on talkSPORT, says: This is a very exciting idea thats long overdue. Its a privilege to be able to provide a link between our soldiers, sailors and airmen serving abroad with their families and friends here.

Most of all, it promises to be entertaining and informative for everyone who tunes in.

Requests from overseas can be made via the BFBS website at www.bfbs.com, via talkSPORTs website www.talkSPORT.net, by e-mail via BFBS at talksport@bfbs.com, or by phoning live to the show on +44-8704-20-20-20.

talkSPORT, which broadcasts on 1089 and 1053 AM on the Medium Wave, is the UKs only national commercial sports radio station and has a weekly reach of 2.2 million adults.