First of all, I think that Greg and Scott are still very strong in their current slots, if anything their shows feels even stronger since the schedule changes.
Vick and Jordan are also sounding really good, they work well together and seem to get along, even outside radio they could easily work well together on TV.
Rickie, Melvin and Charlie are good, but it still feels like a waste having them together and then really small links, not much chat and very few games. I'd make their show a little bit more entertainment-focused like the other shows in the schedule because it does stick out at the moment.
Dean is sounding good as well, as is Arielle. I'd argue that the latter is perhaps too good for the Early Breakfast slots, and perhaps her and Dean are in the wrong slots, but there's no way that change would ever happen.
Matt and Mollie's show has also been really enjoyable, their dynamic is great and I hope they stay for a long time to come. Adele is always a good listen but I still do wonder what her long term future with the station is, especially when Katie has been passed up every time there's an opening. She's been on once a week for four years now, although it is good to see her doing more cover slots.
I do enjoy Clara on Future Sounds, I don't listen often but when I do she is good enough. Danny is quite a good listen too, his music choice is quite good and I've noticed a bit more of it ending up in the daytime playlist. Future Artists and Indie Show still isn't working for me at 8pm, they should either vary the music genre a bit more like they do in Future Sounds or move it later - the Indie Show definitely shouldn't be in that slot.
The Powerdown Playlist works at 10pm no doubt, but it is a bit of a copout not to be live. I'd maybe do The Chillest Show live in that slot instead of the pre-record, but it is the same sort of concept. Not sure it entirely works going from loud indie music -> chill -> dance.
Whilst I don't see any schedule changes for at least the next year or so, I would in the future like to see a late night live show on Radio 1, maybe in a similar fashion to the mid-morning show of a little bit of chat and chill, maybe in the 12am slot. A perfect presenter for this would be Adele Roberts, in my opinion, but someone new like Vicky Hawkesworth would also work.
It's also becoming more and more apparent as to who the cover presenters are on the station. It seems like James Cusack, Vicky Hawkesworth, Jess Iszatt and Sam & Danni are the part time ones, with Katie and Sian stepping in regularly where necessary. In that respect, and considering only maybe one or two slots will open up in the next few years, I'm not sure I'd continue to do the Christmas presenter thing, or the Friday Early Breakfast slot. Over Christmas, they could've easily done those 6 presenters that I mentioned above (Katie -> Vicky -> James -> Sam & Danni -> Sian -> Jess) each day over Christmas and it would work quite well in my opinion.
If they're going to continue to use the Friday Early Breakfast slot, there is no point giving it to presenters like Alex who did it last month and hosts quite a good slot for KISS, and Jess who has already proven herself to be a regular cover presenter for the specialist shows. I'd give the slot to Arielle from next year again, with them dropping Best New Pop (they do New Music Friday around 5.30am on Fridays anyway).
