Nick Grimshaw kicked off the brand new breakfast show on BBC Radio 1 this morning.
It's different. But it was always going to be. It had to be.
Chris Moyles was the longest serving breakfast show on the station, and whether you liked him or not, the self-proclaimed "saviour" was actually a saviour. He got people talking about the station again, maybe not always for the right reasons, but it became current again. He led the show for 8 years and became the ultimate marmite. You loved or hated him. At his peak 9 million people loved him.
Whoever took over from Chris had to be different in style and the show had to be different in format. You can't replicate what Chris Moyles did because the show was CHRIS MOYLES.
So welcome Nick Grimshaw, "Grimmy". He is one of those socialite types who held the late night slot on Radio 1. On that show he talked about his celeb friends, there's a few particular names that crop up... Alexa Chung, Harry Styles, Pixie Geldof, Lily Allen etc. Expect the same names to feature on the breakfast show. In fact, when Nick announced he would be speaking to one of One Direction on the show, I sort of sarcastically thought to myself - "Well, I wonder who this could be?"... It was Harry Styles, who'd have thunk it!
With an almost super hero (instrumental) style build up, Nick uttered his first words in the hottest of hot-seats;
"So, er, this is actually happening"... "Good morning, Great Britain. I'm Nick Grimshaw, your brand new breakfast show host - at least until the nation rises up and I get thrown back to night-time."
His first song, 'Niggers in Paris' by Jay-Z & Kanye West. Followed by Otto Knows' 'Million Voices'. Rita Ora and Muse followed.... And all before 7am! Total difference.
Nick settled nicely and began some self-depreciating banter. He played himself down, there was no ego. He went on to tell of his plans for the music of his breakfast show... "Big pop songs which are good. There's awful pop music and there's wonderful pop music. I'll playing the latter."... We'll see.
The format of the show was very different to the previous. It's a solo gig, with the odd non-mic'd voice shouting up on request in the background. The 'zoo' format is gone.
I like Nick. I think he's a great broadcaster. He has a canny wit. In his own way he will be a marmite character just like Chris Moyles became. But he will definitely be the right person to lead the new sound of the Radio 1 breakfast show, and I will be amazed if he doesn't attract the target audience.
I personally am a massive Moyles fan. He inspired me to get in to radio presenting. But as much as I am upset to see him go, I think Nick is a great replacement. He is in touch with the demographic Radio 1 management are desperate to haul back in. His T4 presenting job gives him access to the names and the big shows, and he will call on every contact in his smart phone contacts book to make sure they pull up a stool at his desk, spilling all the goss' on what they're upto.
You can't really judge the show on Day 1. It will evolve and find its identity with time.
I think it will attract a whole different crowd to the previous set of listeners. He'll lose a majority of Chris' listeners, but he'll attract his own (younger) listeners. A few commentators have said how it had an air of "student radio" about it. That's sort of what the station is after, or at least student listeners. I don't doubt his show will become a cool, tongue in cheek programme.
It's pointless comparing him to Chris Moyles. Give him time, give him a chance, see if you 'get' him - make your mind up then.
Forever '#TeamMoyles'. But there's room for '#TeamGrimmy' too.
