BBC Radio 1 staff are in revolt over the station's shift toward social media influencers, with established presenters fearing they will lose their jobs.
Insiders say the working environment at the broadcaster has become toxic following a series of sackings in July. Bosses dropped experienced DJs Rickie Haywood-Williams, 46, Nat O'Leary, 34, James Cusack, 36, and Swarzy, 33, to make way for internet content creators.
Station head Aled Haydn Jones, 50, is trying to connect with a younger demographic. He believes hiring social media stars will increase listener numbers and engagement.
Instead, sources say the strategy has caused chaos and paranoia. Staff members are reportedly quitting, while presenters including Mollie King, Matt Edmondson and Jack Saunders are said to fear being replaced by internet personalities. "Everyone's jobs are at risk," one source said.
"It's not the station it used to be," one insider said. "The atmosphere is awful here right now and it's just not a nice place to work."
"A lot of people blame Aled for the shift," they added. "People are jumping ship. It's not just presenters going, staff across the station are leaving. There is going to be a full-on revolt soon, there is just no direction right now."
GK Barry signs on
Much of the anger centres on the hiring of social media influencer GK Barry and content creator Charley Marlowe, who both have limited live radio experience.
Barry, 27, whose real name is Grace Eleanor Keeling, will host a two-hour slot at 1pm every weekday starting later this month. Her contract is initially for six weeks.
Representatives for the influencer, who appeared on the reality show I'm A Celebrity in 2024, say she has plenty of experience. However, her new daily programme will not be broadcast live.
Sources say Barry's shows will be pre-recorded and aired "as live", a decision that has left production staff furious and prompted multiple crisis meetings with management.
"It's very bizarre that she isn't hosting live, she is Radio 1's big new signing and you'd think that she would want to be doing it live, as you would think the bosses would too," an insider said.
"Production are ultimately the ones who have to somehow put this show together without real-time input from the listeners," they said. "It's just deceiving them and, without the listeners, there is no Radio 1."
"Nobody has anything against GK personally, but it leaves such a sour taste that people qualified for the role have lost out. It's us in production who have to figure it out," the source added.
Barry worked as a relief presenter for Radio 1 over the past year. She also launched her podcast, Saving Grace, in 2022, attracting thousands of weekly streams and high-profile guests.
"I am really excited to be back hosting a series of my own BBC Radio 1 shows from this September," the presenter and Loose Women panellist previously said. "You'll be hearing my favourite songs, we'll be speaking with some really exciting guests and, as always, in true GK Barry style, I promise a lot of humour, chaos and embarrassing stories along the way!"
Charley Marlowe joins
The appointment of Marlowe, 26, has also drawn internal criticism. She previously narrated the BBC Three dating series I Kissed A Girl and briefly presented Radio 1's early breakfast show.
Sources say Marlowe has not yet learned how to operate the studio decks, which control music and microphones. Staff report rumours that her upcoming show is "nowhere near ready".
She will co-host the programme with Vicky Hawkesworth, 30. Production staff are reportedly concerned that Marlowe is Hawkesworth's third co-host since 2022.
"It feels like Aled has no direction, swapping out one northern female for another without explanation, it's not a good look," a source said.
New schedule
The shake-up brings Danny Mylo, 36, and Rosie Madison, 40, to the 5am to 7am Early Breakfast Show. The pair previously hosted on Bauer Media regional stations Pulse 1 and Hits Radio. They replace Dean McCullough, 34.
Emil Franchi, a 33-year-old from Durham who started in university radio, will take over Cusack's Weekend Breakfast show.
Charlie Hedges will continue to present the Live Lounge. She will be joined by Jeremiah Asiamah, 28, who played a set at the Glastonbury music festival last year. Asiamah replaces Melvin Odoom, 46, and Haywood-Williams, who joined the programme in 2019.
Sources say the four departing presenters were told they were losing their jobs in a phone call, a move one insider described as a "middle finger to the craft of radio". Haydn Jones publicly thanked the outgoing presenters for their work and wished them success.
Management criticism
Haydn Jones became head of Radio 1 in 2020, replacing Ben Cooper. He previously worked on The Chris Moyles Show between 2004 and 2012.
While initially popular with staff, insiders say his standing has fallen. Haydn Jones recently issued a memo telling employees to stop gossiping as off-air complaints grew louder.
"The place has gone to absolute s***," the source said. "It just feels like the wheels have fallen off. People are hoping things will improve but we don't think it will."
"Staff are so burnt out, they are not getting pay rises and the current structure means they can be shifted between shows without any say [in the way they are deployed]," the insider added. "We keep feeding back to our line managers but nothing changes."
The unrest follows a drop in audience figures. Research company Rajar reported Radio 1 lost 131,000 listeners in the second quarter of this year, taking its audience down to 6.9 million.
Breakfast show
Greg James, the 40-year-old host of the station's flagship morning show, remains secure in his role. He joined the BBC nearly 20 years ago and took over the breakfast slot in 2018.
Management recently gave him a pay rise, putting his salary in the 440,000 to 444,999 pound bracket.
"They would be totally finished without James, that's why they've thrown more money at him," an insider said. "If he was to go, they wouldn't have a presenter for that slot and whoever Aled brings in next, we'll have to pick up the pieces again."
A Radio 1 spokesman defended the new schedule.
"Radio 1 is proud to be the number one radio station for young audiences and we're looking forward to the launch of our new schedule this month, which has an exciting line-up of both new, and established, DJs," the spokesman said.
"The station has a strong track record of nurturing young and emerging talent but, alongside this, Radio 1 will always be home for DJs with specialist music knowledge and from a diverse range of backgrounds."
