"Good morning, Great Britain. I’m Nick Grimshaw"

"Oh hi"

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.

Moyles 2.0

Interesting conversation I had today about Chris Moyles being on Loose Women, a show he would normally mock and parody. Its a sign of the changes happening in his career, and pretty much the end of an era for Radio 1.

Chris has always been the loud mouth, arrogant, verging on offensive, DJ. Or at least thats the on air character he assumed, and the character record breaking numbers of people fell for. Whether you love him or hate him, you can't argue with his ratings (average of 9 million listeners).

Now though, he is heading into his final years of being top dog at Radio 1 and top dog in radio. There wont be a renewal of his current contract which has two years left to run and I very much doubt he will risk being sacked - or at least not as much as he used to. It will end well. (Jinxed. He'll probably be sacked within days).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jul/01/chris-moyles-signs-1m-bbc-contact

Today, he was a guest on the panel show 'Loose Women'. This a move I heard many people grumbling about. He would never have gone on a show like this a year or two ago, and I know he has rejected invitations in the past. But he's heading into phase two of his career. Life after radio.

Chris is about to begin hosting a blind date style show called 'The Love Machine' on Sky Living, with former X Factor contestant and chicken nugget seller, Stacey Solomon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQFxwaMA0E

Again, not a show Chris would have touched in recent years. It is all change for brand Moyles. First step is to de-toxify it. 

His most recent TV work has been hosting his own quiz show on Channel 4, which to be fair hasn't done too badly. Several re-commissions and a healthy ratings figure. Its a show I enjoy, but would imagine he will move away from. 

Chris, presenting this quiz show, is the Chris Moyles of radio. The persona is that you will hear weekdays, 6.30am 'til 10am. This new show however I imagine he will be very different. Not so much "cuddly Moyles", but certainly warmer.

Good luck to him. When I presented in radio, he was the reason I wanted to. The best I have heard. Simple. I honestly can't say if his move to TV will be as successful as his radio work - and I don't expect Radio 1 to be his last station, by the way - but I hope it works for him. He has to be one of the best broadcasters we've heard, time will tell if he will be one of the best broadcasters we have seen.

As for Radio 1. Well. That will be for another blog, another day.

Where's my paycheck?

So, on wednesday Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles had a rant live on his show. Why? Because the BBC hadn't paid him for two months.

Yesterday afternoon I'm looking through my twitter timeline to see what is happening. All I find is people slagging Moyles off.

Why are people giving him stick? I'll tell you why. Jealousy.

Chris is a talented presenter/DJ. He is the longest serving breakfast show host on the worlds most famous radio station. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in entertainment. He has a personality. He does things his way, and he gets the ratings. Chris Moyles is one of the greatest british entertainers in history. That's not just my opinion, its the obvious truth, And he gets paid a salary to match his market worth.

Chris displayed his frustration at a situation which shouldn't happen at an institution like the BBC, let alone a tin pot outfit. When you go to work you expect to be paid. End of. But because Chris is on a big money contract all of a sudden it doesn't matter if the administrators are inefficient in their work, cos let's face it, his cupboards won't be empty for a while, he'll be ok.

I'm sorry, but its not right. No matter how many zero's are on your pay slip, you expect that pay slip to be on time - as agreed in a contract, which both parties sign.

He has a mortgage to pay just like everyone else. He has bills to pay just like everyone else. He has a right to expect his hard earned money, just like everybody else.

Now most will have an opinion on that "hard earned" claim anytime. And most do. The recurring comment has been "All he does is talk, how is that hard?"

A) You've clearly never done radio, and B) So what? That's his job. A job he does well.

Its seriously all about jealousy. Always is.

It you're unhappy with the life you have, change it. It doesn't matter what line of work you are in. If you are talented at that job, work hard and show ambition then you will reach the top of your profession. Just like Chris Moyles did.


AB