Though I can see Vick still needing the odd day or so off for Countryfile filming even if she does go back to "full-time" so there will still be cover opportunities on Going Home. 

I think where Radio 1 was wise was having his replacement be Emil Franchi who is also a proper 'radio nerd' as Greg would put it.  If they'd replaced him with a TikToker like Charley Marlowe with no offence intended to her I wonder if the reaction to James Cusack's departure might've been stronger. Though to be fair to Charley she's done her fair share of cover over recent months on off-peak slots so I wouldn't want to tar her with the Maya Jama brush as Maya seemed to instantly have the red carpet rolled out for her on Radio 1.  

Great summing up - I think RMC would have got another year but Melvin’s extended cover on radio 2 imo had brought that forward. Surprised at Jeremiah getting jt but he did deserve to get a permanent slot. I thought Charlie would want to be kept by radio 1 but not in that slot (Radio 1 Dance or doing Friday and Saturdays but fair play).    James I couldn’t see a pathway for unlike Emil so doing weekend breakfast and I dare say will dip in to cover weekdays makes sense. Dean - I think he has got another offer and his pathway to daytimes again was blocked apart from Greg cover and did think he would be in demand - Hits is the obv one  Nats the shock departure imo - I’d have thought Minah rather than Charley but there we go. Chart first look sounds a really lazy show but does sound like Lauren will be Jacks cover on chart. Only 1 day week show gives her cover opportunities. GK Barry is the weird one - that should have been put as an evening or weekend slot.     

Yeah, i'd say that's a fair assessment. I can't disagree with any of that 👍

Wow ok then here's my take on all of this. RMC was coming towards the end times; I didn't think that quickly! That's a partnership that's been going for years but tbf I think Charlie was probably the one that was going to be staying on ahead of Rickie and Melvin who felt like they were going to different things. Really happy for Emil and Jerry, Emil has been great covering, and you would think he's going to be the main cover on Going Home when they need some presenters, he's already got a busy summer ahead doing quite a bit of that! I think the Charlie and Jerry paring sounds promising, they already have some bond when Charlie does her handover on Saturday evenings and Jerry has been a decent cover. He's going to be very busy with his shows! Also Mylo & Rosie is a great appointment to Early Breakfast, they have felt like the supply teacher over the last few months with the amount of cover they were given so it was inevitable they would get a permanent slot. Really surprised and disappointed about James leaving, less so about Dean, he didn't quite gel as well as hoped and IAC didn't help his perception with the public. Nat is a surprising one, she must have something else lined up, I can't really judge her too much or Charley Marlowe as I haven't listened to them a lot.  I feel like GK Barry show would work better at a run of weekends 1-4pm rather than taking Matt and Mollie off for a day. It sounds like Radio 1 have plans for her beyond the six weeks that she will have but who knows what happens beyond the initial shift. Some of the other changes are fine, moving the Indie show makes sense and so does the Chilliest Show be put later, it's better in the middle of the night than early evening. Does feel like the end of an era with Martha moving to Radio 1 Dance and therefore the end of a long slot held by Annie Nightingale before that coming to a close. The first look Chart being 3 hours is just very strange being longer than the actual chart show, it would have made more sense for it to be 7pm-9pm rather than Life Hacks.  Overall a lot of changes, a few positives, some disappointments and some change but it's ok in general.

Dean has something lined up, James has something lined up. I wonder if a few of them are all going in the same direction? 

If it's not his choice, I feel sorry for James – but I have to be honest that, while I enjoyed his show, it wasn't quite in keeping with other shows, perhaps. It felt like it skewed slightly older and more niche, perhaps, and contrasted a lot with the shows after (Group Chat). I think a station should be a broad church, the shows shouldn't all sound the same, but it's worth saying that those making these decisions have more to go off than we do. Listening figures, audience appreciation scores, focus groups, a particular strategy and so on. Also, as noted elsewhere, he has very little social media presence, which feels notable. I have no doubt that James will go onto great things – he is talented and I like him, and even in a pool of more limited radio jobs than ever, he will be fine (I'm sure).