5 December 2025: Shirley Ballas saves a life and Lloyd Griffith gets a 10

[Dan18F1]

How do you all think R1 is sounding at the moment? I’ve been listening quite a bit recently and also (because I’m sad) I was looking through some old topics from around 2016/17 time and there seems to be many people that were not very happy with how the content and output sounded back then. 

However, I think Radio 1 is currently sounding great. Greg’s breakfast show is really great to get ready to everyday, Drive is better than it was a few months ago and when I get to listen to Scott, he’s as good as always. 

The weekend schedule is also good, Matt and Mollie, although not ground breaking radio, are fine enough to have on, and Dev and Alice (when they’re there) are in my opinion, the best show currently on  R1. 

Also, really liking the Indie Show and the Chillest Show at the moment, hopefully both of them stick around for a long time. 

There are a few things that I’m not so keen on however. The first is the amount of music, which is for another thread really, is quite a lot, and I think it has increased in Scott and Clara’s Show recently - thankfully, Greg’s Show has stayed very content heavy. This brings me onto my next point, which is Clara. I feel as though she needs to go now and I wouldn’t be surprised if they give Arielle that show in about a years time. She just sounds very bored, and it’s just songs after songs after sons. Finally, when will they give Jordan a weekday show? I’m struggling with what slot they might give him though, as I don’t think Grimmy is that temporary on drive and I still can’t see Scott going anywhere for a while. 

So, what are all your thoughts on R1s current state? 

[Toby_Radio]

2 hours ago, Dan18F1 said:

How do you all think R1 is sounding at the moment? I’ve been listening quite a bit recently and also (because I’m sad) I was looking through some old topics from around 2016/17 time and there seems to be many people that were not very happy with how the content and output sounded back then. 

However, I think Radio 1 is currently sounding great. Greg’s breakfast show is really great to get ready to everyday, Drive is better than it was a few months ago and when I get to listen to Scott, he’s as good as always. 

The weekend schedule is also good, Matt and Mollie, although not ground breaking radio, are fine enough to have on, and Dev and Alice (when they’re there) are in my opinion, the best show currently on  R1. 

Also, really liking the Indie Show and the Chillest Show at the moment, hopefully both of them stick around for a long time. 

There are a few things that I’m not so keen on however. The first is the amount of music, which is for another thread really, is quite a lot, and I think it has increased in Scott and Clara’s Show recently - thankfully, Greg’s Show has stayed very content heavy. This brings me onto my next point, which is Clara. I feel as though she needs to go now and I wouldn’t be surprised if they give Arielle that show in about a years time. She just sounds very bored, and it’s just songs after songs after sons. Finally, when will they give Jordan a weekday show? I’m struggling with what slot they might give him though, as I don’t think Grimmy is that temporary on drive and I still can’t see Scott going anywhere for a while. 

So, what are all your thoughts on R1s current state? 

I think we are on the brink of some monumental change, be it in three years from now, or in six months.  It has to happen.  There’s a lot of talent, like RMC, D&A, Jordan, Arielle, that aren’t being used.  They’re the people that need to break through, when the likes of Nick, Clara, Scott, and at a later point Greg, move on.  That leaves the big slots in revamped, safe hands.  And the next generation of talent can break through, and eventually get those big slots, hopefully quicker than people have in the past.  Radio 1 has more presenters in their 40s, than 20s.  And content wise, if relevant, that’s not an issue.  But radio 1 need to bring the next generation through, because otherwise when these ones run out of steam, there’s nowhere to turn, and the station and it’s audience will drift older and older until the station dies off, from lack of requirement, or failure to reach the right demographic.  I think we are slowly starting to see that happen, and it needs to be averted, halted, and reversed.  In terms of a listen right now, the music annoys me when it repeats a lot, and it’s too music heavy, but there are some golden bits of radio, which just epitomise the “live moment” that radio is all about.  

[JLers]

I have only been listening to radio 1 for two years now and I absolutely love Greg James and Scott+Chris shows. For the two years of listening to Clara I have to say that I think nothing has changed and it just doesn’t meet the standard of other presenters. I only listen to about 30 mins of grimmy so can’t fully comment but I don’t think his show is anything special. 

 

In in the last few months I catch up with jack Saunders shows from the week on a Friday (instead of listening to the weekend presenters) and it is definitely one of my favourite parts of radio one. I feel like Jack is really underrated and I would like to see him make a feature on Scott’s show, just like when jack had Scott and Chris on for the indie house party mix (which was the first time I listened to his show)   Could jack replace Clara as he constantly oozes passion for music and radio (highly unlikely but would be interesting to see him cover) 

 

On the few times I have listened to RMC I am not massively impressed nor disappointed but you can still hear the commercial radio style. 

 

As as for weekend presenters I can’t stand m&m together but Matt is alright on his own.  Mya is awful. D&A are alright. Jordan is class and enjoys him covering other slots. 

 

To summarise - Greg, Scott and Chris are fantastic (really enjoy their comedy style). Jack Saunders for me is one of the best presenters and has lead me to get into indie music and I hope his show continues for the foreseeable future. 

 

On the note of music I feel like they have introduced older music in the mix recently but do find it repetitive when listening Mon-Thu 7:30 till 4:30 

[Toby_Radio]

2 hours ago, JLers said:

I have only been listening to radio 1 for two years now and I absolutely love Greg James and Scott+Chris shows. For the two years of listening to Clara I have to say that I think nothing has changed and it just doesn’t meet the standard of other presenters. I only listen to about 30 mins of grimmy so can’t fully comment but I don’t think his show is anything special. 

 

In in the last few months I catch up with jack Saunders shows from the week on a Friday (instead of listening to the weekend presenters) and it is definitely one of my favourite parts of radio one. I feel like Jack is really underrated and I would like to see him make a feature on Scott’s show, just like when jack had Scott and Chris on for the indie house party mix (which was the first time I listened to his show)   Could jack replace Clara as he constantly oozes passion for music and radio (highly unlikely but would be interesting to see him cover) 

 

On the few times I have listened to RMC I am not massively impressed nor disappointed but you can still hear the commercial radio style. 

 

As as for weekend presenters I can’t stand m&m together but Matt is alright on his own.  Mya is awful. D&A are alright. Jordan is class and enjoys him covering other slots. 

 

To summarise - Greg, Scott and Chris are fantastic (really enjoy their comedy style). Jack Saunders for me is one of the best presenters and has lead me to get into indie music and I hope his show continues for the foreseeable future. 

 

On the note of music I feel like they have introduced older music in the mix recently but do find it repetitive when listening Mon-Thu 7:30 till 4:30 

Jack Saunders is a really really engaging, genuine, passionate music presenter.  Exactly the kind of new credible talent R1 should be investing in more.

[Sven]

I've been listening to Radio 1 for 20 years (religiously up until 2012 or so) but there was a six year period where I listened less and less - I was commuting and working in an office rather than listening all day at uni so had less opportunity. I would listen to Greg/Scott whenever I could but I never clicked with the new presenters and my favourites had moved on.

However since 2017, the station has improved beyond recognition and I'm now able to listen a lot more. Greg on Breakfast is excellent, Scott/Chris are still entertaining and Grimmy is much more suited to Drive and I'm now a fan (I never was at breakfast). I would occasionally listen to Zane but never cared much for the specialist shows at all, now I listen to Pete Tong, Danny Howard and Jack Saunders on BBC Sounds.

RMC aren't really in a timeslot I'd listen to and Clara is OK. I like her enthusiasm and love of music but there's nothing that makes me think 'I'd better tune in for that'.

Saunders will be a star at Radio 1. I would love him to stay on the Indie show but he'll be called up to the main schedule in a few years. Jordan North is excellent too - he'll be a regular before long.

The irony is that beyond the specialist shows, Radio 1 rarely play music that I like any more! There used to be a lot more indie/dance and I guess I could tolerate a lot more than I can now as I start my 30s.