This announcement is in spite of the fact that he signed a new contract last July for another 2.5 years, ending New Years 2014. He was scheduled for a break anyways to appear in the touring version of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
Moyles’s show has an average of 7.1 million listeners every morning, down from 7.52 million at the same time last year. Moyles is already in negotiations with Radio 1 about a new programme, according to his announcement this morning.
“I’d like to thank Chris. Quite simply, he has been the most successful breakfast show host in Radio 1′s history,” said Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper. “For the past eight and a half years he has been entertaining millions of listeners every morning, which is testament to his incredible talent as a broadcaster.”
This change is in face of the recent BBC Trust findings that showed a rising age range for Radio 1, which aims its programming at 15 to 29-year-olds. Currently, most of the audience is over 30. Other recent changes include Greg James replacement of Scott Mills and the addition of new presenters Jameela Jamil and Gemma Cairney, all aimed to draw in a younger audience.
The official announcement about his successor is scheduled to take place on air at 10:30 this morning, with many speculating that Greg James will take over the breakfast slot.
UPDATE:
Nick “Grimmy” Grimshaw has been announced live on BBC 1 as the successor to Chris Moyles on the BBC 1 radio breakfast slot.
Grimshaw, 27, has been announcing on BBC 1 since 2005. He currently hosts two shows on BBC 1, Sundays from ten to midnight and Mondays-Thursdays from ten to midnight.
Ben Cooper has said he is “delighted” to welcome Grimshaw to the breakfast show. Young Grimshaw’s appointment satisfys the pressures from the BBC Trust on Cooper to pull the average listener age of BBC 1 under 30.
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