The eighth floor

[GeekTalk51]

It was always going to be a rough ride taking over from one of the most long running and successful daytime shows in Radio 1 history, but the fact they’re being taken off air after less than two years feels significant to me.  Vicky going to weekends is obviously a demotion from weekday daytimes, and while there is definitely a way back for Dean from early breakfast it’s absolutely a backward career move.  Did they always plan this to be short term?  I can’t imagine they did.  Others on here have said the figures held up decently and from what I’ve seen they did, maybe qualitative research such as focus groups was really poor for them?  Why do folks think Aled pulled the plug this early?

[BBCAaron]

2 hours ago, GeekTalk51 said:

It was always going to be a rough ride taking over from one of the most long running and successful daytime shows in Radio 1 history, but the fact they’re being taken off air after less than two years feels significant to me.  Vicky going to weekends is obviously a demotion from weekday daytimes, and while there is definitely a way back for Dean from early breakfast it’s absolutely a backward career move.  Did they always plan this to be short term?  I can’t imagine they did.  Others on here have said the figures held up decently and from what I’ve seen they did, maybe qualitative research such as focus groups was really poor for them?  Why do folks think Aled pulled the plug this early?

They spent tow years in the slot had Aled wanted to and management and commission would they would’ve retained this daytime programme so can’t imagine this was always the plan but rather pulling out and drafting a different plan. To an extent I think it’s tough to see the direction and vision of why and what is being done. 

I feel at this point the station needs new management and feels like management should be a five year term for a station like Radio 1.

[AndyK77]

Two years isn’t exactly a failure - it’s only seen as a failure by comparison to how long many national radio shows last.  I suspect a tonne of factors at work in the show ending now.

Nick Grimshaw only did two years on drive after breakfast and back in the day Mark and Lard lasted 6 months or so on Breakfast.

[Rob86]

It is definitely a failure and they’re both going to lesser slots, whatever the spin. Grimmy leaving Drive was his decision after a long successful stint at Radio 1.

It seemed pretty random to me when the appointment was made. They’d never done a show together. Vicky had no regular slot on Radio 1. And when you pair people up, it so often doesn’t work - it really needs to be trialled first.

The people involved have got to be great broadcasters and genuine friends. Vicky just seems to giggle at everything.  I’ve always found it really hard to listen to and that’s so rare for me to say about a Radio 1 show. But it has me turning off. Roll on July. 

[AndyK77]

9 minutes ago, Rob86 said:

It is definitely a failure and they’re both going to lesser slots, whatever the spin. Grimmy leaving Drive was his decision after a long successful stint at Radio 1.

It seemed pretty random to me when the appointment was made. They’d never done a show together. Vicky had no regular slot on Radio 1. And when you pair people up, it so often doesn’t work - it really needs to be trialled first.

The people involved have got to be great broadcasters and genuine friends. Vicky just seems to giggle at everything.  I’ve always found it really hard to listen to and that’s so rare for me to say about a Radio 1 show. But it has me turning off. Roll on July. 

Don't get me wrong - the show being axed says that the station accepted it was no longer the right thing to continue with but "disaster" is too strong.  They didn't kill the ratings.  (And I am saying this as somebody who never really liked the show).

[Ash101]

I truly believe this show only came about because of the pressures on BBC management to have a daytime show from outside of London.

They’ve done it for a bit, increased the weekend quota and are still retaining another slot on weekdays. But the pressure is no longer there & now they can make a programming decision based on Matt & Mollie bringing a better show along.

That podcast from the start of the year told us everything we needed to know about Vicky only being asked 2 days before the show was announced.

Agree it’s not a disaster as such, but this is the only time in recent memory that management have ended a show without talent calling time. 

[ianwilk1999]

For me, there wasn't that entertaining factor about it that there was when scott and chris did the show. It's not difficult to say is this entertaining or not for the audience and lots of what they kept doing regularly simply wasn't up to scratch.

Whenever I listened to Mills it made the day go faster when on call and it was quiet, or doing paperwork. All dean and vickys show made me do was eye roll.

Perhaps management also did the same thing in the end?

[onlyME]

I think it was an experiment, they may have been made aware it was a short-term thing. Who knows, maybe Matt or Mollie threatened to walk and were given promotion? Maybe Dean or Vicky wanted to do something different? Don't think it all has to be seen with such negativity. 

[IamNotFromUK]

22 hours ago, BBCAaron said:

I feel at this point the station needs new management and feels like management should be a five year term for a station like Radio 1.

I'm not sure about this. Radio is all about continuity and management changes every few years might break this, because every new boss would want to change something. 

[AndyK77]

But 2 years really isn't that short...so many daytime shows over time have lasted that or less.

If it was a true disaster it would have lasted 6 months.

(And I am saying this as a non-fan).  

It's not a success story clearly but not a disaster either.

[Dan18F1]

41 minutes ago, IamNotFromUK said:

I'm not sure about this. Radio is all about continuity and management changes every few years might break this, because every new boss would want to change something. 

I agree, as much as I think Aled has made a couple of recent questionable decisions, after the next few months the last thing radio 1 will need is more upheaval. I think (unless anyone chooses to leave) there probably shouldn’t be any changes for at least a couple of years. Radio 1 needs a period of stability now. 

[Sara97]

They are not popular with listeners - look on social media, they lost half the listeners according to many on this forum and other forums. They don’t gel and argue a lot behind the scene which they’ve openly admitted.
Dean is self centred and narcissistic, he doesn’t play well with others. When he did a show with Mollie about Eurovision, he tried to dominate it. Whenever they have challenges and everyone is on, he always talks over everyone. Greg isn’t a fan of him. 

I cannot wait for Dean to go back to Gaydio and stay there. If he gets breakfast; that would be the end of radio 1. They both have been demoted - I feel for Vicky. 

[TheSaviourisHere]

Not that i listened much but when i did they just did not gel together. Hardest job but it just was never going to work and yes it is a demotion for both but they could also see it as a chance to rebuild themselves.

[wbroom12]

On 3/5/2024 at 10:05 AM, GeekTalk51 said:

It was always going to be a rough ride taking over from one of the most long running and successful daytime shows in Radio 1 history, but the fact they’re being taken off air after less than two years feels significant to me.  Vicky going to weekends is obviously a demotion from weekday daytimes, and while there is definitely a way back for Dean from early breakfast it’s absolutely a backward career move.  Did they always plan this to be short term?  I can’t imagine they did.  Others on here have said the figures held up decently and from what I’ve seen they did, maybe qualitative research such as focus groups was really poor for them?  Why do folks think Aled pulled the plug this early?

I don't think Dean and Vicky was the long term plan for the show. Replacing Mills and Stark was always an impossible job for whoever took it on and would have had flak for it. I think they wanted someone in that was  far away from that show ready for now. I don't know if Matt and Mollie were always the intended recipients of it or if they had someone else planned. 

At the time there was a lack of quality available besides Matt and Mollie and maybe they wanted to give Dean and Vicky airtime as they have big plans for them moving forward

[Old Codger Fan]

Classic case of the whole being less than the sum of it's parts.

See also Simon Mayo + Jo Whiley.

 

[Sarah Johnson]

I think it was more of a ‘let’s do shows from Salford’ decision. Rather than a talent led decision 

[ianwilk1999]

It feels so weird that everyone is saying they are being demoted and Dean is going to 5am and they are just carrying on the show as normal. It hasn't worked that's a given, I think the sooner its off afternoons the better.

What does everyone think the next move for Dean will be after earlies. Am I right in thinking Arielle has done them for years and is that what would be called overnights? Overs for us is up till 8am!

It's a shame there seems to be an obsession with shows coming from different places

[Ash101]

On 3/8/2024 at 6:28 PM, ianwilk1999 said:

It feels so weird that everyone is saying they are being demoted and Dean is going to 5am and they are just carrying on the show as normal. It hasn't worked that's a given, I think the sooner its off afternoons the better.

What does everyone think the next move for Dean will be after earlies. Am I right in thinking Arielle has done them for years and is that what would be called overnights? Overs for us is up till 8am!

It's a shame there seems to be an obsession with shows coming from different places

I do wonder what the 4 month hold up is? Are they doing it out of respect for Dean, Vicky or Arielle to remain in their current slot? Are Matt & Mollie not available till then? 

[lochnessa]

I will not miss Monday Pun Day.  I've liked their quizzes some but this feature actively annoys me.

[DC]

This feels like Colin and Edith after Mark & Lard all over again. From what I recall by the end of 2006 it was Edith on her own for a good while. They'd already moved Colin Murray to nights where I must be honest he did a cracking show circa late 00s.

But it was never going to replace what was before on afternoons. Deja vu imo, with Scott and Chris. It does feel like they may have been the stop gap as sad as it sounds, until time moves further on and totally new different talent goes onto afternoons. Following on from Scott Mills was always going to be an impossible job. I'm not just saying it for the sake of it either. He nailed early breakfast, my favourite times was drive with Chappers, he wasn't half bad with Chris Stark either. Whoever came on it was always going to be dammed if you do, damned if you don't for a couple of years in a way. It will all settle and Scott's days at Radio 1 before you blink will be 10/20 years ago.

[Jono]

Loved Colin's evening show, was over too soon, in my opinion.

[DC]

On 4/11/2024 at 8:05 AM, Jono said:

Loved Colin's evening show, was over too soon, in my opinion.

I thought it fit perfectly, I don't understand why it didn't go on longer than it did. 

[AndyK77]

10 hours ago, DC said:

I thought it fit perfectly, I don't understand why it didn't go on longer than it did. 

Was that not purely down to him wanting to get more into the journalism side of broadcasting?

[coffeeandgin]

It does feel like since it was announced that Dean & Vicky will no longer be a pairing with the schedule changes like it's very often Dean or Vicky that's on with the other away as if both have sort of given up on the pairing.

Combine that with that Going Home continuing to be a show where you can quite guess what combination will be in and it feels rare that the schedule is actually what it should be.

[lochnessa]

Dare I say they've sounded great this past week?  Very much gelling.  Maybe less pressure?  Seem to be having a genuinely good time and not forcing things.