coffeeandgin

Isn't exactly the best look too when rather than using one of 'Christmas/New Year' intake or one of the better Friday Early Breakfast DJs as an interim that Aled's first thought is to throw in a celeb. I Does seem to be the way though with the BBC though at the moment to bring in celebs as cover - it's been that way on Radio 2 for a while and now Radio 1 seems to be following a similar path so I wonder if it's driven too by those above Aled. The longer the weekend afternoon slot remains unannounced the more you wonder if once again James Cusack will be overlooked for a permanent role when really he is the obvious choice. Can't say I've listened too much to Danny so far so can't speak for how good or otherwise they are. Jamie Laing had the exact same issue even towards the end of his period being Mollie's maternity cover and he then walked straight into a drivetime role. I'd hope for their sakes that both Danny and Jamie are trying to do similar to what Mollie did when she was first on Radio 1 and shadowing other shows on the network to give themselves the best chance of being the best they can be as DJs on Radio 1.

To give Dance Anthems some credit the 'Classic Anthems' do these days seem to have some fairly recent tracks from the last 2-3 years thrown in. I do think dance they can get away with a bit more as tracks from 10-25 years ago seem to be pretty timeless and as popular as ever. Though having more 'Classic' Anthems than current anthems on Dance Anthems does seem a bit for a supposed new music station. It wasn't a criticism of any of those specific artists to be clear. More just that it's as if Radio 1 just pick particular artists as their chosen ones whose new songs will always make the playlist come what may (which often includes those mentioned) while others while they get 'off peak' play never come close to the playlist even if the music absolutely fits Radio 1 and has an organic popularity. Absolutely get them wanting to champion new music but often they only really do it to a certain point and with certain artists.

While it maybe doesn't the power it once has (where being on the A-List was a big deal), It's a big part of the station and I felt probably deserves it's own thread. Have to be honest I haven't been hugely enamored with the playlist in recent times. Radio 1 seem quite heavily wedded to it in weekdays (at least Monday-Thursday) which can lead to the station being repetitive if you listen throughout the day. Even a station like Capital who are known for their limited playlist seem to throw in some older tracks and artists ever so often whereas if it's not Something Songs, 10 Minute Takeover or Anthems you often struggle to hear a song from before 2018. The repetitive nature has been a thing for a while though to be fair - I recall early 2021 in particular it felt like Tiesto's 'The Business' and Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers Licence' were played every other hour. Also certain Radio 1 favourites seem almost guaranteed a slot on the playlist even if they don't actually appear to be wildly popular with the target audience to justify it. I get it with your Dua Lipas, Calvin Harrises, Fred Agains and Olivia Rodrigos as they're all very popular but less so if it's say Cat Burns, Aitch, Royal Blood or Mabel. Which is fine to an extent as Radio 1 has often focussed on promoting new music but then you have great music by other new artists that just never makes it to the playlist as a result.

Yep I really struggled with Matt & Jamie which was a shame as otherwise really like Matt. Unfortunately it comes across on-air whether it's actually try or not that Jamie doesn't know a lot about radio and doesn't seem particularly desperate to improve either or if I'm being generous he's playing an act - neither of which particularly appeals. The everyman act can sometimes work but you need to have that natural likability and appeal for it to do so in the way that way Chris Stark did. I mean even towards the end of his stint with Matt Jamie was struggling with getting the Whatsapp number right which is a basic.

Have to say even if there is a good reason for Jamie to be off on Thursdays the optics of them a month in still not be able to do a 'normal week' of the scheduled team for a brand new show isn't great. And if Jamie was meant to be away on Thursdays clearly nobody let whoever runs BBC Sounds know. Who would've guessed from the Vick & Jordan days though that it would be Vick who's the everpresent so far (just kidding Vick - really rate her as a DJ and I know she has a lot of other engagements outside of Radio 1).

The Instagram comments again aren't exactly gushing about the Saturday line-up it's fair to say.

Got to be honest that Saturday line-up doesn't massively appeal to me. Friday seemed quite a bit stronger. Like some of the Saturday acts (e.g. Alfie Templemann, Joel Corry, Shygirl) but wouldn't say I'm a massive fan of too many of them It's very on-brand for Radio 1 though as it feels fully of the sort of artists that Radio 1 desperately try to convince us are 'massive' and where their songs always end up on the playlist but I often don't get the appeal (or as I call it 'the Wet Leg effect'). I would wonder if I'm moving out the Radio 1 target audience but then I listen to some of the stuff on Future Pop say and really like it - it's just the playlist stuff that doesn't appeal. Though the Breakfast show is quite entertaining on these sort of days and does go quite commercial radio i.e. you'll get Greg being very excited only for it to then be Aitch who's announced.

Especially when you've got the likes of Matt, Greg, Katie etc. all travelling around with Mollie who could probably do some of the TV appearances- surely they could largely let her focus on the cycling and Radio 1. Then again Mollie seems the sort of person who is generous with their time and happy to do these appearances.

Still going I think - they had her on the One Show and mentioned she still had an hour to the finish line. So she'll probably be finishing today during her usual Future Pop show. Do wonder how tomorrow will work with the Chart as it would be quite the effort by Mollie to finish before it. Normally they'd aim to have these challenges done before the Chart

It's been a great week of radio. Radio 1 at its best - promoting a great cause and all the DJs on air together and shows how much they all get along. This week has highlighted too just how great the likes of Greg, Matt and Katie are as broadcasters - they have been superb covering the challenge and in their genuine love and support for Mollie (who has been doing so well and is giving it her all). Lovely too to see Matt & Mollie get their flowers so much in the past month - both thoroughly deserve it and their kindness and good spirit has really shone through these last few days even more than usual. Matt's link yesterday about how Mollie has been a support to him and him to her at around 4.45pm yesterday was just so wonderful and heartfelt and what Radio is all about.

BBC Radio currently seems to be in their celeb era. The default response on Radio 1 recently but on Radio 2 for quite a while before that seems to be get celebs involved wherever possible at the expense of 'proper' DJs. Some Radio 2 cover choices over the years have been particularly WTF and verged on Partridgesque.

Good to see some things never change about Going Home. Not even a week in and there's already an absence! Did chuckle at Vick's 'bets back on' about how long Jamie would be back (to give context this was after Katie said 'put your bets away' about 7th March being the day somebody would be away on 'Going Home'). Said in jest but you could say many a true word said in jest. The last-minute addition of Katie, Jamie not having a contract and then being off within the first week does make it all seem a bit messy. If the plan was always that Jamie would be off today why not just do another week of Sam & Danni which at least gives more time to plan for the new show.

Didn't hear much of the show today but given Something Songs is pre-recorded slightly surprised they didn't edit that out. Quite a few of the comments on Jamie so far sound very similar to the observations I'd have had when he was covering alongside Matt. I think if he is to be a success one thing Radio 1 really should be having him do if it's not already happening is what Mollie did when she first joined and have him shadowing other shows and other DJs outside of his usual shows. Though many of the people you'd be getting him to learn from are those he'd have already or would be working with (Matt, Vick, Katie).

Though actually that would probably be one of the better things to carry over and give to Jamie - by its nature the best bits of it could often be when Jordan rambled away and built an increasingly mad story for Judge Jordan.

One plus I will give the show is playing the Mollie King Fajitagate clip. Always welcome - one of the all-time great Radio 1 clips If any of the show need a content idea then an "official" chart of the best Radio 1 clips is one I can give for free.

Nothing wrong with that - it'd be boring if we all agreed on everything. Though I can't see you getting onto Greg's show next time it does the above feature with that take. ?

And while you have Jamie saying he's been constantly grinding for this slot and has earnt it certainly hasn't come across on air. Instead from his opening show alone he's admitted to initially not knowing when Going Home started and then some of its main features like 'Access All Apps' and 'What Are You Having For Your Tea' being a mystery to him. You'd have hoped he'd be eager to impress and all over it ahead of his first show on Drive. Hopefully he is genuine in wanting to grind and quite soon we start to hear an improvement. But with that sort of thing 'Show don't tell' comes to mind. For example with Mollie King she clearly put in the time and effort and treated as a proper career and it came through on air. Whereas the less said about say Maya Jama the better.

Yep listened to the first hour or so and it did feel very Jamie focused and quite 'London Bubble'. Radio 1 is often at its best when it focused on the listener and has listeners at its heart whereas much of the show was about Jamie's celeb mates and then talk about the Brits and then going through Jamie's phone in Access All Apps. I get the Brits one to an extent since Radio 1 always go big on the Brits but you have to hope it's just a first day thing and not the norm. You'd have been forgiven for not realising it was Katie's first permanent show too.

I can only judge Jamie from his maternity cover for Mollie King and then the 'Going Home' podcast and yep jury is out massively on him to put it kindly. When he was covering for Mollie the whole show felt very Jamie centered and he really didn't seem to have learnt the basics at all. Some errors can be excused - missed Newsbeat intros happen to even the best - but if there was an error to be made he'd normally make it. For example you'd have him talking & singing over jingles and even towards the end of his cover for Mollie he was still struggling to get the Whatsapp number correct. And there were warning bells in that podcast - not everybody on Radio 1 has to be a radio nerd but knowing Drive is one of the biggest radio slots and hell knowing when your show starts should really be the absolute bare minimum. I think for the revamped Going Home to be a success it really has to be him being a sidekick to Vick & Katie. Both are very good broadcasters and a trusted pairing whereas if Jamie takes centre stage it could quickly be a turn-off for people.

Yep celebs seem to be back on these days. Of course 2018 saw a few celeb hires e.g. Maya getting a slot after cover shifts that could be counted on one hand and then Mollie joining Matt after a few months of celeb guest hosts alongside him on Saturdays. But after that it calmed down and the closest you'd get was say some celebs covering Annie Mac's show between her finishing in the slot and Clara starting (my mind instantly goes to that clip of Yungblud excitedly introducing the 'Power Down Playlist'). Whereas now they're back in fashion what with Jamie getting Drive and then Danny Beard covering the interim period between Katie on Friday & Saturday mornings and Vicky & Nat starting on it come July.

Yep one think that seemed pretty clear from it is that Katie's addition was quite last minute if it was while she was on holiday and was news to her. Clearly Radio 1 took note of the backlash. Especially as if it was always the plan for Katie to join surely they'd have announced it at the time Jordan left? And some of what Jamie says in the podcast makes you realise how wise a decision that and the other changes were. Imagine if Matt & Mollie were still kept on weekends and then you have Jamie drafted in not knowing Drive is the 2nd biggest show of the day or when your show starts. Not every radio DJ has to be a 'radio nerd' but come on. I found him more tolerable though then I did with Matt - having two co-presenters means Jamie doesn't dominate as much plus Vick & Katie unsurprisingly have great chemistry given their years on Life Hacks and Katie covering Jordan on Going Home. Chuffed for Katie - she's put in the hard years and you can tell the listeners love her.

Hard to see it as anything but a demotion - going from the Afternoon slot succeeding Scott Mills and recently doing a fair bit of Breakfast cover to now Early Breakfast which is deemed a more off-peak slot. Though it may work out better in the long run for Dean. He seemed to draw a lot of the ire with criticism of Radio 1 recently and with his fast-track to weekday afternoons and then covering Greg recently there was the risk of him being seen as a bit of a 'golden child' fuelling even more backlash especially when popular DJs like Matt & Mollie and Katie were overlooked Whereas now he has a chance to make a slot his own and build a little community with the Early Breakfat crew. Plus with Matt & Mollie and Katie on daytimes now it's less likely to be viewed as him getting slots over them.

With Arielle's DJ career going from strength to strength it isn't a huge shock she doesn't want to keep getting up for earlies. That Thursday night slot will suit her perfectly - still allows her to do her various DJ gigs over the weekend plus if she wanted one of the Friday night slots or Dance Anthems the next time one of those slots becomes free it gets her foot in the door there. And it's good we still get to hear her on Radio 1 in some form. Pleased too that Arielle's new show hasn't come at the expense of Future Pop and that Future Pop has just moved days instead.

I imagine Jordan must be pleased too to see his good friend Katie end up on Going Home following the departure and also moving down to that there London too so no doubt he, Vick and Katie will all still catch up every so often even if it’s off-air.

I guess it depends on who is in the weekend afternoon slot. If as we as suspect it's James Cusack then it's still a fairly strong line-up. And at least the reason is weekdays being strengthened. You can understand to an extent weekends being used as more of a training ground. Danny Beard doing the interim period between Katie's final weekend show and Nat & Vicky starting is certainly a choice - but I guess it's only for a limited period so if Danny is great it's another new DJ to add to the pile and if they're poor then at least it's only for a brief period.