Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 July 2022
As the legendary Scott Mills prepares to jump ship to its sister station, we take a look at both the excellence and importance of BBC Radio 1.
Radio is one of the greatest forms of media out there as it is totally unique. Where TV and film are perfect for telling a story, radio can provide a live discussion on both current events and the music it plays. However, in a world where we stream music on Spotify and full of podcasts, how does one of the oldest forms of media continue to reach new generations? Many stations aren’t going to attract our impatient brethren as Radio 3 would lull them to sleep with its classical music, Radio 4 would disinterest them with its documentaries and talk, and even Radio 2 is swaying more towards their Gen X parents. Therefore, there is only one station that delicately balances the airplay of contemporary music and digital socialisation.
Radio 1 plays all the latest music that is in the charts, trending on Spotify and a viral sensation on TikTok, as well as the modern classics referred to as “anthems”. Listeners can often text and phone in to be a part of the show which allows them to personally get involved with the mad yet hilarious discussions that occur on air. Their news show Newsbeat is tailored to a younger audience, presenting the latest headlines in a more engaging manner. However, it is the presenters that are the heart and soul of the station. They are modern, relatable, relevant, and embody what the network stands for.
The station’s flagship show is the breakfast show, which has had Greg James at the helm of it for a few years now. Greg is funnier than most comedians without trying and makes for brilliant company when waking up and driving to work in a morning after early breakfast host Arielle Free hands over. He often dissects the funnier stories making headlines as he gets us update to date with All the Latest Things; recently, there was a cow that got stuck in a swimming pool. A headline feature on the show is Unpopular Opinion, in which disgruntled listeners call in with a controversial opinion they are rather passionate about to which Greg and a celebrity guest will discuss their thoughts on. In the past, listeners have argued that Bond villains were better when they had cats, the last season of Game of Thrones wasn’t that bad and one just really disliked Chris Martin. Other features include Fact Controller, in which listeners say what they have just discovered but most people already knew, and Double Disasters, in which listeners announce a mistake that they didn’t learn from the first time.
Scott Mills is the mainstay of the station, even if he is not actually staying. Having had his own show since 2004, Scott hosts the afternoon slot along with his co-host Chris Stark, who joined in 2012 and became known for his last-minute interview with Mila Kunis when he talked to her about his beloved Watford FC, his local pub and Nando’s rather than promoting her new film. Features on the show include Innuendo Bingo, in which Stark and a guest must attempt to not laugh at innuendos while holding a mouth full of water, Brother or Lover, in which Scott and the team ask a pair of listeners questions about their relationship before guessing whether the couple are siblings or dating, and Granny Tinder, where a listener’s grandma helps them pick a suitor by looking through their Tinder profile. Scott also presents the Official Chart Show on Fridays and the Eurovision semi-finals on TV. He is such a massive Eurovision fan that, after years of the UK performing poorly at the contest, he got behind the 2022 entry Sam Ryder and backed his song Space Man, promoting it on the show with a campaign to which it gained a strong following and went on to be the runner-up at the final as well as peaking at #2 in the charts.
Jordan North is probably best remembered for vomiting on a cliff edge before an abseiling challenge on the first night of the 2020 series of I’m a Celebrity in Wales. This likely played a part in him becoming the new host of the drivetime show with Vick Hope in which the Northern pair play a host of fun games too. Jordan is an ordinary lad and is so down-to-earth that one of the show’s segments is literally What Are You Having For Your Tea?
When evening falls, the shows become a little more specific. Clara Amfo kicks things off with Future Sounds, introducing all the up-and-coming new music bound to make the playlist down the line. Then it’s over to Jack Saunders with Future Artists who welcomes all the new musicians landing on the scene before Sian Eleri brings the Power Down Playlist to prepare us for bed.
It is not just the weekdays with a great line-up. Matt & Mollie host the weekend afternoons, having a good laugh with each other which is shared with the listeners. Other regular voices to hear on a weekend include former CBeebies presenter Katie Thistleton and the bundle of energy that is Dean McCullough. Later on in the afternoon, the music shifts as Charlie Hedges gets listeners in the mood with Dance Anthems. As night falls, Danny Howard and Pete Tong are among the DJs on hand to soundtrack the weekend with dance music.
On the whole, it is safe to say that Radio 1 has a show for every stage of the week, providing the atmosphere and energy to match. The station may be an entertaining vehicle for all the latest news and music, as well as serving up all the laughs, but it goes beyond that. It keeps today’s youth connected in an ever increasingly distant world of social media and keeps one of the oldest and most important forms of media alive, bringing it to the next generation.