Radio 1 has revealed it will undergo a major shake-up in the New Year as three presenters are axed and replaced with five university graduates.
Dev Griffin, Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart will air their last shows at the end of this year, while Breakfast host Greg James has picked up an extra show in the overhaul.
Greg, 34, will now present the Friday Breakfast show, after previously hosting the show from Monday to Thursday when he took over the role in 2018.
Times are changing! Dev Griffin, Huw Stephens and Phil Taggart will air their last shows at the end of this year, while Breakfast host Greg James (pictured) has picked up an extra show in the overhaul
After hearing the news on Friday morning, Greg joked that he had ‘woken up and missed the press release’, that announced his new role on the station.
Greg also paid tribute to the three hosts who will departing BBCR1, as he admitted it was ‘proper sad’ that Dev, Huw and Phil would be departing.
He also welcomed the newcomers, and wrote: ‘So exciting to have brand new people on R1. It was my first proper job out of Uni back in the day and that feeling of being announced as a R1 DJ is like nothing else.
Goodbye: Greg also paid tribute to the three hosts who will departing BBCR1, as he admitted it was ‘proper sad’ that Dev (pictured), Huw and Phil would be departing
Greg said: ‘It’s proper sad news about @phillytaggart, @dev_101 and @huwstephens though. All so brilliant on the radio. So odd when your mates leave
‘Enjoy the day @sianelerievans, @gemma_bradley_, @JMtwittor, @fee_mark and @mollie_finn. And welcome along!’
He added: ‘It’s proper sad news about @phillytaggart, @dev_101 and @huwstephens though. All so brilliant on the radio. So odd when your mates leave.
‘Will miss Dev for his constant deliberate Partridge moments, Philly’s Chillest Show and one of my best mates Huwbert. Love you lads x’
Oops! After hearing the news on Friday morning, Greg joked that he had ‘woken up and missed the press release’, that announced his new role on the station
Discussing the shake up, the station’s new boss Aled Haydn Jones said: ‘Dev, Huw and Phil have been incredibly valuable members of the Radio 1 family over the years.
‘They are all excellent broadcasters and I’m pleased we’ll be hearing more from Huw and Phil elsewhere on BBC Radio.
‘I’d like to thank each of them for their contribution to Radio 1 and wish them all the best for the future.’
BBC Music Introducing host Stephens said he had ‘loved every minute of my 21 years broadcasting on Radio 1’.
New role: Greg, 34, will now present the Friday Breakfast show, after previously hosting the show from Monday to Thursday when he took over the role in 2018
Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Dev, who currently presents Friday to Sunday afternoons, tweeted that ‘it’s been an absolute privilege and a pleasure to waffle and entertain so many listeners but I’m ready for some new challenges’.
Chillest Show presenter Taggart said: ‘Someone put on some montage music I am going for a slow walk out the door. Thanks to everyone who I’ve worked with and who listened.’
There will be five new presenters joining Radio 1, as part of the changes from January 4.
Early Breakfast on Fridays will showcase ‘the best new and emerging presenting talent’, with a new presenter hosting the show on a monthly rotation.
Moving on: Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Dev, who currently presents Friday to Sunday afternoons, tweeted that ‘it’s been an absolute privilege and a pleasure to waffle and entertain so many listeners but I’m ready for some new challenges’
They include Mollie Finn, who will take on the slot as her first job in radio after previously volunteering as a presenter at Bournemouth University’s student station.
The other hosts are Joel Mitchell, who has previously presented on BBC Radio Leeds, and Fee Mak, who hosts the drivetime slot on London’s Westside Radio.
New presenter Sian Eleri, from Wales, will become the host of Radio 1’s Chillest Show and Gemma Bradley, from Northern Ireland, presents BBC Music Introducing
Other changes will see current Radio 1 presenters Arielle Free, Adele Roberts, Matt Edmondson and Mollie King moving to different shows.
Radio 1 boss Haydn Jones said: ‘This is a really exciting time for Radio 1 as we prepare to welcome the next generation of talent.’
And DJ James said of his extra day: ‘I’ve had two years of being called a part-timer by the listeners for deserting them on Fridays so it’s time I actually put a shift in and be with them all week.
‘And in any case, I’d only be at home looking for stupid things online so I might as well go and share the nonsense with everyone tbh.’