Give Nick Grimshaw a go

(GETTY IMAGES)

As Radio 1 premieres its rejigged morning line-up, Callum Jones sympathises with the challenges of broadcasting at breakfast.

Nobody enjoys Monday mornings, with the daunting thought of five long days overshadowing the distant comfort of the weekend. Spare a thought for Nick Grimshaw today though. He will begin his tenure in the most coveted role on British radio and fill the large shoes of his predecessor, whilst aiming to live up to the steep expectations of bosses and fans – all before 7am.

Last Friday, Chris Moyles signed off after eight years on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show with a message for the man taking his place. “You get a lot of grief for doing it” he warned, “but it’s worth going through all of that”. The morning gig certainly seems to be tough, with the unforgiving claws of critics even sharper than they are during prime time.

Take Daybreak, for example. Where did poor Adrian and Christine go wrong? They didn’t really. Overly harsh reviews of a mediocre start gave them a slight nudge into that dreaded cycle of decline. Each time the press pointed out audience figures were poor, more viewers switched off. It was a game of psychological warfare over breakfast, with a WAG and a middle-aged Brummy brutally cut down in their prime.

So here’s an idea. Over the next few days and weeks, let’s give Grimshaw a go. Ignore the lukewarm reviews and let him settle. The audience figures will inevitably fall. It may seem strange, but this is almost a target for determined BBC bosses, who are adamant that the average age of the station’s listeners must be driven down.

The median age of Radio 1’s current audience is 30 – hardly ancient, but outside of its 15 to 29 remit. The BBC Trust has been piling pressure on the station over the past few years to reach out to teenagers. I, as an 18-year-old, am presumably in their sights. However, I enjoyed the cheesy opening of The Chris Moyles Show and John Humphrys’ stern introduction to the Today programme in equal measure. No matter how clear-cut a statistic it might seem, it’s bound to have a peculiar anomaly.

Moyles was a brave choice in 2004, with his casual, conversational style. In many ways, the return to safe, ‘music first’ broadcasting at breakfast today is just as bold. After years of moaning about “arrogance” and “laziness” in the mornings on Radio 1, critics have no right to slate a more timid host.

He might refer to himself as ‘Grimmers’ and wear jeans that most nine-year-olds struggle to squeeze into but he’s worth a shot. His love of music, together with his showbiz friends, will only enhance the most prestigious show on UK radio. Don’t listen to me, though – turn your dial to 97.9 FM and judge for yourself.

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• Lee

  Nope! Radio 1 don’t want me because I’m 33 and a license payer then I’m not longer going to listen to Radio 1! … lets see how far the figures fall before heads roll! Ageist BBC! #TeamMoyles … when Chris get a slot back on Radio 1 I will listen again, but I’m no longer listening to breakfast. I’m switching from my Full English to Cereal!

• multi0312

  Anyone under 30 would give Nick a go. Moyles stopped years ago being funny. He became a bore. “saviour of Radio 1″….a true legend in his own mind. Channel 4 sussed him out….couldn’t carry a talk/entertainment show.

• http://twitter.com/francessmith frances smith

  no 15 to 29 year olds, reject this attempt to destroy your individuality. you are all different with different tastes, just because you have been put into an age bracket designated by the bbc as being young, does not mean that you have to all be the same, and like the same things.

  go out into the big wide world of radio and explore other things, don’t let the suits at the bbc force you into conforming, force you into a category that is more for their convenience than anything to do with what are really like.

  reject radio one.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Cox/818103937 Mark Cox

  I am looking forward to seeing this BBC plan fail, Grimshaw is not an interesting host for the breakfast show, at least you could have a laugh with Moyles and his team, I don’t think teens are that interested in the Radio anyhow, I know I wasn’t, more interested in telly and xbox, I think the BBC has only just managed to alienate all the listeners on R1 in one go.
  I listened to Grimshaw on his other show, I didn’t find him funny, but then, I am not sure he was attempting to be, I just found him annoying, and the idea of playing more music will back fire, we hear the same songs over and over, it’s tiresome.

• zoomcloud

  So the ageist Radio 1powers that be have decided to
  sacrifice listener figures to try to discard the over 30s…So what is the BBC
  providing as early morning entertainment to the millions of people who pay the
  licence fee (unlike many of their new target audience!) and who’re not yet
  ready to lay down & retire to the musty sound of Radio 2? Just how does
  Radio 1 justify treating loyal listeners (some of them with them from the
  start) so rudely?

  Catch up & wise up BBC
  - times have changed, generation gaps have closed right up & music
  and banter are not necessarily age related!
  Content is all & ‘nice’ as Nick Grimshaw may be – he’s boring,
  leaving a hollow sound where banter and laughter used to reside. Scott Mills
  manages to bridge the age gap so why not someone like him 6.30-10am?

  Suggest if this is the BBC’s stance they either dip into
  their pockets & create a Radio 1.5 to fill the gap…or refund the licence
  fee to all 30+ listeners who’ll never be ready for Radio2!