Radio 1 Breakfast with Greg James - First Thoughts

[anothernerd 11]

1 hour ago, OohErr said:

Been seeing a few quotes on Twitter today from a speech Greg gave at some European Radio Conference. To summarise, Greg really doubling down on the whole "the listeners are more interesting than me so I make it about them" thing.

Honestly, I can't say I agree. If that's the case then anyone could be doing the show - the reason Greg does it is because listeners are interested in him and his stories. He never used to do that shtick in the afternoons - it was HIS show, so I don't know where the whole modesty thing comes from. It's almost like he's embarassed to be there. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy listener's stories when they're funny and weird like on Scott's show, but not when they're the main attraction. I DO want to hear banter between presenters and stories from their own lives, that's why I listen - I've built up that relationship with the presenter over the years.

I'm really sad about how little Greg's breakfast show does for me, I'd wanted him to get the gig for years and I really wanted to like the show but whenever I listen I just get fed up with how safe it is. And I used to love his afternoon show with Chris Smith. Haven't listened for months, although with local breakfast shows on Capital ending I'm not sure where I'll end up. Danny Mylo on Pulse 1 in West Yorkshire does a good show. Maybe I'll come back to Greg at some point, but for now I've gone right off.

Greg’s Show could do with a shake up- maybe some new features but I still prefer his drivetime show tho have to admit as much as i don’t like Grimmy his new drivetime show suits him. Shame about the local axe as well. I always liked local stations as well, now with a huge chunk barely local.

I kinda miss more listener freindly things on R1 like stuff on The Chris Moyles Show with the games and stuff on there, also find Moyles on X- He’s kinda grown up now and it’s a shame. 

Also I did say in chatbox the other day that I do hope dev and Alice get weekend breakfast back. Matt and Mollie are good but kinda sound a bit awkward and I preferred Dev and Alice. Who I hope come back.

As much as I like Greg, I doubt he’ll last as long as Grimmy. Simply because Grimmys Show was 100% Celbrity Based and Greg’s is more listener based. Grimmy did 6 years on breakfast(god knows how) 

I think Greg could do with something to boost his show more, Like for the fest few months it sounded great. Tho as everyone does I miss Chris Smith with the news!! Rosins good but the banter isn’t there. I think Greg shouldn’t have got breakfast. Maybe someone else should’ve took it tbh

 

 

[anothernerd 11]

4 hours ago, Mike123 said:

From the way this is going, it feels like Greg is just a temporary host until they can find someone dynamic and different.  He’s bland on Breakfast.  I almost wish Grimmy had stayed on.

Reminds me of the 8th. Just a cover shift. And also Greg seems to  have got more R2

[Mike123 9]

Reminds me of the 8th. Just a cover shift. And also Greg seems to  have got more R2

As a teenager I can tell you people like Scott, Rickie, Melvin and Charlie and Roman Kemp are so so much more in touch. I cannot see a teenager listening to Greg James, or at least not a large amount of them.


Sent from my iPhone using the Unofficialmills.co.uk mobile app

[vorti 4]

Surprising to read this, I became a regular breakfast listener for the first time... maybe ever (not counting Scott's covers). Even if I tune in just for 10 minutes it makes me forget if it's Monday morning and sucks being awake. No boring celebrities every other day, no forced group laughing on jokes weren't even funny to begin with. Just a friendly voice being actually entertaining and (mostly) worthwhile current music. Might be just an age thing (I'm 30), but I've hated obnoxious and loud breakfast shows since I was like 10.

What I absolutely agree with is that the show really needs someone like Chris Smith was. Roisin is cute but doesn't even get involved that much, and hearing how awkwardly she reacts sometimes to Greg's random stuff, probably wouldn't fit to that role.

The "listeners first" approach is not the problem here, but it shouldn't take over the whole show, I really doubt that for example someone like Maya or Cel replacing Greg and just interacting with listeners would be the same quality.

I couldn't say anyone at R1 who deserved this promotion more than Greg. (Maybe Scott, but that's another story.)

[BBCR1_James 2]

I'm late teens so am pretty much exactly R1's target audience. 

I only started listening R1 Breakfast since Greg started, I was not a fan of Grimmy (although I do think he has been better on drive). 

Absolutely love Greg. Genuinely funny and as @Vorti said above, he is a nice boost in the morning. Some light entertainment with his randomness. 

I do agree, I feel like he needs a co host like Chris Smith - someone to bounce his stupid banter off haha. Biggest thing though is I think we just need a refresh of features as he's been doing the same ones since the start. If he did that it would sound like a new show again. 

I am going to give Capital Breakfast With Roman Kemp a try next week. My local capital station had the most annoying breakfast presenters of all time so I've never listened but will be interesting to listen to the new national show next week.

[Chris D 12]

I listen to the show everyday and I love it, but theres something missing from his afternoon show that this doesn't have. I think generally the features aren't quite so interesting (whatever happened to Game of Phones?), but also I think it's missing another personality to bounce off. Greg worked really well on the afternoon show when Chris Smith and the producers got involved (particularly Grace), but theres a lack of that at the minute. Roisin is better than she was, but she's still a little bit wooden when you compare her to how Tina used to be on Nick's show.

[radio1fan 19]

On 4/3/2019 at 9:01 PM, Chris D said:

I listen to the show everyday and I love it, but theres something missing from his afternoon show that this doesn't have. I think generally the features aren't quite so interesting (whatever happened to Game of Phones?), but also I think it's missing another personality to bounce off. Greg worked really well on the afternoon show when Chris Smith and the producers got involved (particularly Grace), but theres a lack of that at the minute. Roisin is better than she was, but she's still a little bit wooden when you compare her to how Tina used to be on Nick's show.

I think they should bring back Game of Phones at some point, but I bet the issue is lack of decent celebs to do it. The breakfast show is definitely a lot more PG than the drivetime show used to be but I'm glad there is very little showbiz focus in the content as that was the main issue with Grimmy's tenure IMO.

Greg is definitely the best presenter to do that slot who fits the criteria they have for it (enough experience, which would rule out Adele who would do a good job IMO, and a desire to do it, which rules out Scott as he has publicly said he doesn't want to do it)

[anothernerd 11]

On 4/9/2019 at 4:57 PM, radio1fan said:

I think they should bring back Game of Phones at some point, but I bet the issue is lack of decent celebs to do it. The breakfast show is definitely a lot more PG than the drivetime show used to be but I'm glad there is very little showbiz focus in the content as that was the main issue with Grimmy's tenure IMO.

Greg is definitely the best presenter to do that slot who fits the criteria they have for it (enough experience, which would rule out Adele who would do a good job IMO, and a desire to do it, which rules out Scott as he has publicly said he doesn't want to do it)

I miss game of phones. I feel like he’s half Radio 1 for music half radio 2 for chat. 

I liked the whole “Are you well?” “I thought you were” gag and the Why heloooo Jill thing from Ainsley Harriot. they were funny 

Him and Scott and maybe Dev and Alice keep me listening- if they went I’d move the radio dial and follow them.

This weeks R1 at work thing could’ve been better if Greg made something silly out of it!! 

I feel like now he won’t last as long as Grimmy(6 and a half years).

[Dan18F1 20]

I thought that I’d throw my thoughts in here:

To begin with, I enjoyed Greg’s Show on Breakfast so so much. If I ever missed a show, I would catch up on it because I felt like I was missing out on something major happening but since around Christmas, I haven’t bothered. 

I still enjoy it, but I feel as though it has got very samey, the features need freshening up. Like, do we really need Unpopular Opinion  and The Fact Controller every week - I think they’re the two features that need a rest the most. I think Yesterday’s Quiz is starting to feel tired as well. 

Bring back Game of Phones, What’s My Age Again?, Impossible Karaoke, more features are needed I think. 

Over the last few weeks, I have been able to listen to the Breakfast Show more than normal,  and I have to say that after 8:30, I think the show is great - there’s some really original and funny ideas and it works, I think between 7 and half 8 just needs some tweaking to make it sound great. 

Hopefully after his holiday, he’ll give some features a rest and have some new ones ready for afterwards

[Chris D 12]

Good to hear What's My Age Again and Game of Phones this week. It's added a bit of variety to the same old features.

[anothernerd 11]

10 hours ago, Chris D said:

Good to hear What's My Age Again and Game of Phones this week. It's added a bit of variety to the same old features.

Greg seems to have come back a lot more refreshed, He seems to be back with more ideas and lots more nonsense! 

Honestly, I couldn’t bear to listen to Matt and mollie,no where near the same humour as Greg