BBC Radio 1 announces five new presenters for 2021
BBC Radio 1 has announced a presenting shake-up for 2021, with five new presenters set to join the station while three current presenters will be departing.
The changes will come into effect from January 4, 2021 under new Head of Station Aled Haydn Jones, the BBC has confirmed.
The Friday Early Breakfast Show will become a brand new show dedicated to showcasing the best new and emerging presenting talent, with a new presenter hosting the show on a monthly rotation.
Related: BBC Radio 1 falls to lowest ratings since records began
Joel Mitchell, who has previously presented on BBC Radio Leeds, will be first to take on the task, followed in subsequent months by brand new presenter Mollie Finn and Westside Radio presenter Fee Mak.
Mitchell and Mak have both experienced presenting on BBC Radio 1 before, when they guest-hosted a slot over the 2019 festive period.
Another new voice being added to the Radio 1 family is Sian Eleri, who currently works at BBC Radio Cymru and who will become the new host of Radio 1's Chillest Show. BBC Radio Ulster's Gemma Bradley is also joining, becoming the new host of BBC Music Introducing.
It has also been announced that current presenters Huw Stephens, Phil Taggart and Dev Griffin will all be leaving Radio 1 at the end of 2020.
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Stephens, who is the current host of BBC Music Introducing, will continue to present on BBC Radio Cymru and 6 Music, saying of his exit: "I've always tried to give music the respect it deserves, and I've loved every minute of my 21 years broadcasting on Radio 1."
Taggart, who has hosted The Chillest Show since 2018, said: "Someone put on some montage music I am going for a slow walk out the door. Thanks to everyone who I've worked with and who listened". He will continue to work on BBC Radio Ulster.
Griffin, who took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2019, is departing his weekend afternoon show in order to focus on other presenting opportunities.
There are also some schedule changes on the horizon, with weekday Breakfast Show host Greg James set to cover Friday morning as well as Monday – Thursday mornings from January.
Related: Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw forced to delay radio return as he goes into quarantine
He joked of the change: "I've had two years of being called a part-timer by the listeners for deserting them on Fridays so it's time I actually put a shift in and be with them all week. And in any case, I'd only be at home looking for stupid things online so I might as well go and share the nonsense with everyone tbh."
Arielle Free is set to become the new host of Radio 1 Dance and Radio 1's Early Breakfast Show from Mondays to Thursdays, while current Early Breakfast host Adele Roberts – who starred on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2019 – will now host Radio 1's Weekend Breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays.
That show's current hosts, Matt Edmondson and Mollie King, are moving to the weekend afternoon slot from Fridays to Sundays.
Head of BBC Radio 1 Aled said that this is "a really exciting time for Radio 1 as we prepare to welcome the next generation of talent".
"Sian and Gemma are going to bring some brilliant energy to our weekend line up, and with our new Friday morning rotation we're going to be hearing from some fantastic new presenters over the coming months.
"The listener is at the heart of everything we do at Radio 1, and we look forward to introducing a fresh new schedule as we continue to deliver the entertainment, escapism and new music that our audiences know and love."
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