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[radio247]

Radio 2 brought in Scott to bring the afternoon audience age down, but I feel with Matt and Mollie replacing Dean and Vicky they're going to be competing for a similar audience.

Will Scott's show evolve to bring in more listeners or do you think they will be comfortable with the audience they currently have?

[onlyME]

I love Scott but if you're a 20 or 30 something that enjoyed his last few years of Radio 1 the Radio 2 show just doesn't translate. Stars from Neighbours or 90s singers just aren't my cup of tea and I can't get enthused about some has been at Radio 2 in the Park or some country music countdown. 

Until that changes I will probably more likely listen to Matt and Mollie. 

The Steve Wright fans think Radio 2 has turned into Radio 1 but it has a long way to go to win over the older R1 audience. 

[AndyK77]

Even for the older Radio 1 listeners (of which there are still quite a few) Scott’s show doesn’t feel quite right.  (That’s nothing on Scott who sounds good but more the station sound and content).

Since moving to Capital Breakfast I haven’t been listening to much Radio 1.  I always found the shows outside of Breakfast and Drive more wallpaper due to my working day and the show content of RMC and Dean and Vicky so Capital is just background noise to me after enjoying Breakfast.

[xxladybarefootxx]

I quite quickly gave up on Scott’s show on R2 as I realised it wasn’t my kind of vibe. I do listen to the Scott Mills weekly to catch up, because I still think Scott is great, but there is just something missing (for example, he played out some clips recently of the old sleep recording app from the R1 days, and didn’t play ‘go and open the window Garry’ - or if he did, it didn’t make it to the podcast.) I don’t see them changing it now or making it any ‘younger’ than it is.  

Matt & Mollie in the afternoon is something that I’m really looking forward to. They are such an interesting and funny listen. It has given me a different dilemma though, as 1pm has been the perfect time for me to catch up on the Capital breakfast show and takes me perfectly to the end of my working day, so now I’ll probably have to forego listening to that and stick with R1 for Matt & Mollie. These shows need podcasts because it’s already giving me fomo. 

[Jono]

I think it's great the amount of choice out there right now. I could happily listen to Greg or Jordan in the morning, Going Home or Huw Stephens in the evening, or Scott and Matt and Mollie in afternoons. 

Still a few times when I'm channel hopping but maybe that's healthy to check out what's around. 

As that research pointed out, Scott is good for minimal distractions. If you want some chaos I dare say it'll be Matt and Mollie offering that. 

Plenty of my friends say it's the Radio 1 playlist that puts them off, even if they like the DJs. So Radio 2 is more preferable. 

[coffeeandgin]

Matt & Mol for me. For those that enjoyed Scott's Radio 1 show, Matt & Mollie are the natural successors (even more so than Scott's Radio 2 show) - two best mates doing a fun show packed full of content

For one thing Matt & Mol inherited two of Scott's ex producers in Amy & Helena. Some Matt & Mollie features you could easily imagine Scott doing e.g. Matt vs Mollie and some feel near identical (can see 'Battletracks' taking the old 'Bangers' slot as it feels heavily based on that feature).

Also while this may be down to being a weekend show Matt & Mol's show does seem to lean in a more pop direction and seems to deviate from the playlist more than some other shows- which helps as the Radio 1 playlist can be quite marmite and get samey very quickly.

Something just doesn't hit the mark for me with Scott on Radio 2. It feels like it's aimed at somebody about a decade older than me and relies heavily on Noughties nostalgia. Scott too I feel works best with somebody else to work off and is missing that fun element he had with Chris and previously Chappers. It's fine but not something I'll go out my way to listen to.

 

[coffeeandgin]

I find at the minute I'm a bit of a nomad when it comes to radio stations. Often the Radio 1 playlist really doesn't appeal to me these days and I did wonder is it just me tiring of new music but then I'll listen to Future Pop and Party Anthems and there's loads of tunes on there that I love and they're excellent listens but just too few of those make it to the playlist.

Radio 2 may arguably be more to my taste music wise but also often feels too rooted on the past. Plus much of the content just doesn't appeal to me and verges on the 'mumsy' side. Plus Radio 2's new music can feel very 'middle of the road' - just because I don't enjoy some of the Radio 1 new stuff it doesn't mean I want Take That & Will Young as 'new music'.

For me currently if I'm tuning in for radio it'll be Jordan North on Capital Breakfast, on Radio 1 Matt & Mollie, (if Jamie is off)  Going Home and Sam & Danni plus there's also Capital Dance and Mistajam. They all hit the mark for me in a way other shows don't.

[coffeeandgin]

Also hopefully won't get my head bitten off for this but I'd say of the current Radio 1 DJs the one arguably most similar to Scott Mills's latter time on Radio 1 would be Mollie. I'm not saying she's as good as Scott was to be clear but she is that sort of vibe.

'Future Pop' is exactly the sort of music Scott would be championing and you can tell Mollie has the same passion for it that Scott did. There's that Party Anthems link too - a show Matt & Mol do that previously Scott did and they bring a similar energy to how Scott did that makes it a fun listen.

Matt & Mollie seem to just have that natural connection with the listeners that Scott & Chris did that you can't manufacture.

[GrimsbyGal]

Scott's show is perfect for the office. If Matt and Mol have a podcast I'd listen to that. All the fun without the Gen Z rappers. 

[xxladybarefootxx]

When Scott and Chris announced their departure from R1, I remember there was lots of speculation about who would take over the 1pm slot. Matt and Mollie were talked about a lot on here, and at the time I really didn't rate them as a replacement.

A few years on, I see that I was totally wrong. They are such a good pairing, and it's the same kind of duo as Scott and Chris, in that they are real life friends, who spend time together in their real lives, which really does come across on air. True friends having a laugh together, and everyone is invited is how it feels to me now.

I never thought about it before, but I agree with @coffeeandgin that Mollie is the Scott of the duo - pop obsessed and maybe a litte ditsy, but so funny, and in need of someone to anchor to or bounce off.  It seems that Matt is the kind of Chris of the duo then in that comparison, the one with the ideas, but also needs another person to make the magic happen.

I know I'm outside of the R1 demographic, and maybe Dean and Vicky were meant to be younger and fresher, but I'm sure in my younger years I would have preferred to listen to two people who had a genuine connection and could really make each other laugh, as well as have the listeners laugh along. That was the Scott and Chris factor for me, and I think the only pair that come close to that now are Matt and Mollie.

[onlyME]

The extended Dua Lipa track from M&M was very funny.

I'm hoping Matt and Mollie and Scott have a good relationship a bit like Greg and Zoe collaborate on-air sometimes.

[ianwilk1999]

The brought to tiers feature was also very good from them. I did wonder which DJ's were going to get picked out of the hat, that could have gone one way or the other and the caller said they were very opinionated lol. Correct decision putting katie in god tier!

[Old Codger Fan]

Reading through this thread, I don't feel quite so alone now, in thinking that Scott Mills on R2 is not a good 'fit' (even less so than on R5).  I can't quite explain why this is so - I just know it to be so.

[DC]

Still Scott for me. I'm not too much into the 70s and 80s radio 2 play but do love the injection of 90s and 00s. Then Radio 2 push for all this country stuff and it not a UK thing, and I frankly don't like it. Scott's show as in features, hit and miss. I like the music police bit, but it feels like someone needs to join him. It's a shame Chappers is so busy with sports, as it feels like it could do with someone like him jumping on to help. Or a new partner.

Radio 1, take or leave. Matt and Mollie are OK from what I've heard and share a good connection, but it's the playlist that throws me off. They could bring back Chris Moyles to do that show, but as soon as something like Headie One comes on with that casino keyboard produced crap. It would still be switched off from me. 

[radio247]

It is funny because everyone thought Matt was on the way out, now he's been described as the heir to Mills.

[lochnessa]

1 hour ago, DC said:

Still Scott for me. I'm not too much into the 70s and 80s radio 2 play but do love the injection of 90s and 00s. Then Radio 2 push for all this country stuff and it not a UK thing, and I frankly don't like it. Scott's show as in features, hit

I'm in the minority in my workplace, most of them love country music.  Me, the American, does not care for it.  That said, I haven't haaaaaated some of the country adjacent stuff that's been on the R1 playlist.  

[Acelink]

I agree Scott has always been a good standalone presenter, but always better when with someone. When chappers left the radio one show it felt a different show and Chris joining was what it needed and brought new life.
for the format of the radio 2 show Scott’s show fits well with the station but again, there’s the huge gap between radio1 and 2

As been said already old radio2 listeners feel it now feels too young with latest changes, yet old radio1 listeners still feel radio 2 feels too old.
The inbetween stage demographic of too old for radio 1 but too young for radio 2 is still not catered for

radio 2 was left to grow old with its audience for too long and to change things up now feels to try and change a brand image

the right thing to do is leave it as it is and cater for that 1.5 demographic which I’m sure the new proposed 00s and 10s station will do if approved. Problem is it’s so overdue that by the time it gets off the ground these listeners are already likely to be lost and the changing image of radio2 likely to lose what it stands for as a brand with the “it’s too young now “  moving to boom and the “ it still sounds old “ crowd not able to move with their favourite presenters like Scott so finding themself on capital

a radio 1.5 would have been perfect for Scott and Chris, seems unlikely but this is why I think who branding of bbc radio needs a rethink if these new stations get off ground

[NathanS]

4 hours ago, Acelink said:

I agree Scott has always been a good standalone presenter, but always better when with someone. When chappers left the radio one show it felt a different show and Chris joining was what it needed and brought new life.
for the format of the radio 2 show Scott’s show fits well with the station but again, there’s the huge gap between radio1 and 2

As been said already old radio2 listeners feel it now feels too young with latest changes, yet old radio1 listeners still feel radio 2 feels too old.
The inbetween stage demographic of too old for radio 1 but too young for radio 2 is still not catered for

radio 2 was left to grow old with its audience for too long and to change things up now feels to try and change a brand image

the right thing to do is leave it as it is and cater for that 1.5 demographic which I’m sure the new proposed 00s and 10s station will do if approved. Problem is it’s so overdue that by the time it gets off the ground these listeners are already likely to be lost and the changing image of radio2 likely to lose what it stands for as a brand with the “it’s too young now “  moving to boom and the “ it still sounds old “ crowd not able to move with their favourite presenters like Scott so finding themself on capital

a radio 1.5 would have been perfect for Scott and Chris, seems unlikely but this is why I think who branding of bbc radio needs a rethink if these new stations get off ground

To be fair, Scott & Chris would've still been fine on Radio 1. It was mentioned at the time that Scott's move was very much on Radio 2's part rather than Radio 1 wanting to move them on.

That's the one problem that Radio 2 has, trying to appeal to such a wide demographic.. it's the perfect listen for many, but equally a turn off for many others. I think they have the balance fairly right. 

 

 

[Bluestraw]

I don't feel there's so much overlap between M&M and Scott's shows. M&M is of a similar calibre to Scott & Chris on R1, with genuine laugh out loud moments and usually a show packed full of real interesting content. Scott's R2 show is IMO a shadow of the stuff he did on R1 (not his fault, he's doing exactly what station management want), with music and content to appeal to a much older audience.

[Old Codger Fan]

On 4/29/2024 at 11:51 AM, radio247 said:

It is funny because everyone thought Matt was on the way out, now he's been described as the heir to Mills.

Indeed - many of those same soothsayers were predicting the rise & rise of Jordon North on R1, too!

[ianwilk1999]

On 5/1/2024 at 1:00 AM, Bluestraw said:

I don't feel there's so much overlap between M&M and Scott's shows. M&M is of a similar calibre to Scott & Chris on R1, with genuine laugh out loud moments and usually a show packed full of real interesting content. Scott's R2 show is IMO a shadow of the stuff he did on R1 (not his fault, he's doing exactly what station management want), with music and content to appeal to a much older audience.

I really do miss scott on r1. For me it was the entertainment that always came from the show, you knew no matter when you listened it was going to be entertaining and make the day go faster. A brilliant presenter.