Blood On The Carpet - Walking With Disc Jockeys (2000)

Documentary on Matthew Bannister's mission to make Radio 1 feel "young" again when appointed as Controller by the BBC in 1993.
First broadcast on BBC 2, January 2001.

[@nigeleldridge4769]

love the old radio 1 djs the best

[@MrGrimlyFeendish]

“Would you be prepared to take part in a documentary about the Matthew Bannister tenure at Radio 1?” DLT: “No, I’d probably come across as an embittered has-been” Simon Bates: “No, I’d probably come across as an embittered has-been” Adrian Juste: “Where do I sign..??”

[@antster1983]

Both DLT & Bates participated in a 2004 documentary on Channel 5 called _The Curse of Radio 1,_ as did Mike Read, Tony Blackburn, Bruno Brookes, Simon Mayo and Nicky Campbell. Trevor Dann and Polly Ravenscroft, who contributed to this documentary, also participated. Neither Matthew Bannister or Adrian Juste participated.

[@terrysrealgold]

Thanks for posting this, I found the whole Bannister affair to be fascinating, and this nicely summarizes it

[@bencolemanart]

When I was a teenager around 1994 I loved what was going on with radio 1. The evening session was great for introducing me to new music, and where I could actually hear the stuff I was reading about in the NME and the Melody Maker. Mark Radcliffe from 10 till midnight was amazing (I still remember listening to the Suede live session in 1994 on the edge of my seat, and he introduced me to the Tindersticks and many other favorite bands, as well as lots of incredible older stuff, including the Fall by way of Lard). Westwood played great stuff, although he was a bit of a joke amongst my friends. The weekend essential mix sessions were amazing also (Weatherall, A Guy Called Gerald, etc.). The coup de grace surely had to be putting Chris Morris on at 9pm once a week- absolutely blew my tiny mind.

[@bencolemanart]

Steve Wright was a total berk though.

[@bencolemanart]

As was Evans.

[@jamesmt142]

Great to find this in relatively decent quality at last. Thanks for uploading. Whether you agree with what happened or not, it's a great documentary.

[@rickerbyct]

Real early 90s Neanderthal management. They needed to update R1 fair enough. But completely trashing the existing organisation and treating long term high profile employees so appallingly - whilst the station was still hugely popular is the sort of thing that could only have happened in a Anglo Saxon economy at that time

[@EssexNonLeague]

The issue is Radio 1 was under huge pressure by the Government and still fairly newly deregulated commercial radio industry to stop parking tanks on its lawn, and start providing an alternative. Radio 1's average age of listening was too high, and there was a real risk the BBC could have Radio 1 taken away from them. The changes were painful for a good eighteen months and some mistakes were made along the way, but in the long run it helped give Radio 1 the impetus to connect with the target audience and evolve in a more evolutionary way, rather than the 1993 earthquake.

[@Dan_druft]

RIP Steve Wright 😭

[@anthonyperkins7556]

If Radio 1 shut down tomorrow it wouldn't be missed.

[@johnnydiamondsmusic1673]

It’s the real story behind Smashie & Nicey end of an era

[@anthonyperkins7556]

I like how DLT and Simon Bates managed their departures from Radio 1 before Bannister could lay down the axe on their careers, very clever

[@antster1983]

Didn't Jackie Brambles also leave of her own accord rather than being "Bannistered" as the documentary suggested?

[@anthonyperkins7556]

​@@antster1983The way it was handled was 'either Matthew tells you to go or you can go quietly'. DLT and Simon Bates announced their departures on air and in newspapers before they got given the boot, others like Adrian Juste accepted their fate and accepted or swore at programme controller Matthew Bannister prior to working their notice to depart ie Chris Evans, when his agent got told he couldn't have Fridays off for the rest of the contract.

[@ICanPlayPiano]

This was one of the most interesting documentaries the BBC ever made in the Noughties.

[@BruceDanton-xw6eg]

It was indeed there too of course.

[@bencolemanart]

You can clearly see that anyone with a mullet had a target on their forehead.

[@afterthetone]

I remember watching this and thinking 'new broom' just what's needed! Now I can see it was the death of radio 1. it's never really recovered (2019)

[@Ulleskelf]

afterthetone Radio 1 should be the station your mum wouldn’t listen to. If it is, it’s failed it’s job as a station for young people.

[@alexanderjames6328]

@@Ulleskelf It's now the 'station' that very few people actually listen to, sadly.

[@StarboundUK]

​@@alexanderjames6328 Radio's biggest issue is how technological change via internet & streaming & increasingly diverse audience has atomised audiences FOR everyone.... A single 1 size fits all is increasingly hard to do... It ain't the 80s or 90s no more. I can discover ALL types of new music without EVER listening to the radio via KZbin or Spotify etc via algorithm. And via SoundCloud, MixCloud, internet radio I can consume on demand a near infinite supply of music on my terms. My phone is a global jukebox

[@amoebicindustries]

@@alexanderjames6328i mean that's true of every radio station relative to 1993

[@Dan_druft]

It's like Tots TV and super woke nowadays in 2024.

[@bobsoldrecords1503]

"Why did you quit radio?" they asked. Next one that does gets this video in their inbox. 😂

[@blade0954]

im 53,but radio 1 is a station for new music,,and youngsters,there are lots of other stations

[@PoliticalParadigms]

blade0954 spot on, and anyone who wants to listen can, if it’s not for them it’s not for them 😀, new music can transcend age sometimes

[@tracyyy99]

I had been a Radio 1 fan since the mid 70s. Yes, some of the djs were mature, but they were good, ask anyone now, most djs would give there right arm for the listening figures those djs got. Steve Wright is without doubt one of the best djs out there. I have been listening to him for over 30 years, i thank god he is still broadcasting actually now on Radio 2. I believe Steves style of broadcasting is for the afternoon rather than the morning. Radio 1 is dead. R.I.P

[@red-pn8fk]

it isnt. you move on. im 43 i havent listened to radio 1 for years it is for the younger generation. when i was 14 or 15 no one i knew would listen to it because of simon bates dlt etc so if they wanted the younger listener they had to move on

[@alexanderjames6328]

@@red-pn8fk I should not bother listening to it nowadays, it's garbage.

[@colinjennings3661]

You move on. I never listen to radio 1 now ..I'm a radio 2 man. I'm 49. Radio 2 is like radio 1 of 25 to 30 years ago.

[@jayrox40]

@@colinjennings3661 All bbc radio is shit now.

[@antster1983]

@@colinjennings3661 I left Radio 1 behind when Chris Moyles left in 2012. Moved on to Real Radio North West (later rebranded Heart North West). Now listen to Rock FM (to be rebranded Hits Radio Lancashire in April)

[@jonnyhaw]

The whole point of Radio 1, when it was launched in 1967, was that it was supposed to appeal to young people - and by 1992, young people were not listening to Status Quo or DLT or Simon Bates. There's no denying they were consummate broadcasters of real skill, the real tragedy is that Bannister wasn't also given control of Radio 2 where some of these veterans could have been moved sideways. But what happened really needed to happen to safeguard Radio 1's future.

[@patrickcrowther9195]

Adrian Juste, not at all bitter.

[@daviddowney7703]

Brilliant

[@antster1983]

He sounds like a Harry Enfield character at times.

[@davedaves431]

I worked at Radio 1 during this time. Adrian Juste was such a tedious old whinger and his show just consisted of him filling in other people's punchlines in old comedy sketches. I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.

[@antster1983]

When I heard 6:06 without watching, I thought it was Harry Enfield!

[@eightiesmusic1984]

What did you do? What were your impressions of the other presenters?

[@davedaves431]

@@eightiesmusic1984 Worked on Danny Baker's show at the weekend. Not many DJs about at the weekend but Danny is great. John Peel was lovely. Chris Evans used to pop in a lot and scrounge roll ups from me. Seems like another lifetime.

[@eightiesmusic1984]

@@davedaves431 Thanks for replying. I have read conflicting views of Peel in person as opposed to his persona on television and radio but obviously you interacted with him and it's always a case of taken as found!

[@markc8956]

@@davedaves431 HATED Danny on Radio 1 - and HATED Evans with a passion. Like Matthew,so far up his own backside it was unreal. Matthew then made a monumental balls up taking two very good DJs and putting them outside of their comfort zone onto the Breakfast Show in Mark and Lard. Danny was brilliant post R1 elsewhere on the network (local radio if I remember correctly) as was Matthew when he went to 5Live as a presenter,I loved him doing that and he fitted right into the slot he had (10pm-1am I think). Changes were needed,just the wrong ones at the right time. Evans was an ego tripper full of himself. I resented him being Terry's succcessor at Radio 2, the great man himself wouldn't have like it,but Chris at R2 was a great listen when he did Drive and on Breakfast,not that bad.

[@Baltihunter]

Superb doc 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

[@5340robert]

R.I.P Steve Wright

[@mrgedwood1932]

Now it’s happening on radio 2 Will the BBC ever learn 😞😞

[@jamesmt142]

However, the joined up thinking lacking on the 90's is here now. Moving Mills across was absolutely the right thing to do, compared to the 90's when Radio 2 didn't change at the same time as Radio 1.

[@marcnikolai]

Brilliant documentary. In fact, brilliant series. Bannister was vindicated in the end. Change on this scale is never pleasant but often necessary

[@ajs41]

Simon Bates: one of the best DJs of all time.

[@colinjennings3661]

A complete wanker..still preferable to the horrible Travis.

[@colinjennings3661]

I hope you're joking. They were both fucking awful...beyond awful

[@wanderer1955]

But THE best was and is Kenny Everett!!😀👍🥇

[@hakc97again]

Lol no he sucked. Edmonds was good though in his youth

[@Andyferguson-ml4uo]

Agreed

[@lewstone1934]

I wish Bannister had met Jimmy Savile and tried to sack him.. He would have been part of the new motorway junction ?

[@amoebicindustries]

not really. Savile had already been sacked by Bannister's predecessor Johnny Beerling, and he seems to be doing ok

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

I was 19 in 1995 and heaviley into indie rock so I used to listen to the evening session with jo wiley and steve lamacq, john peel's show, and the graveyard shift with marc and lard! Apart from that absolutely nothing else because I thought the daytime radio 1 stuff was too oasis and blur centric at the time, and they were commercial sell out's to me who prefered the more obscure stuff you would hear later! And as for chris evans well tosser is all I can say! Completely hyped up from the start and loved the smell of his own farts, shit dj as well!!!!

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

Love yer code name by the way!!!!

[@thescreamsmusic]

Hilarious. It's the Spinal Tap of the airwaves ! There should be more programmes like this !

[@remedy5655]

i use two love radio 1 roadshow

[@Spectrescup]

Well that's one of us

[@freewilliam93]

Omg you have my favorite yt name of the month!

[@lxtechmangood9503]

Evans stole so much from steve wright and his posse.

[@lewstone1934]

Baker reminded me of Evans: up his own arse with no class xx. Well done Britain.

[@colinjennings3661]

Danny baker is one of the best djs this country has ever produced. DLT was the first syllable of country....

[@markc8956]

@@colinjennings3661 Oh wake UP mate. Danny was like Evans at Radio 1 - up his own arse. When Danny returned to local BBC radio,he mellowed and was a great DJ. Radio 1 was never for the likes of Danny.

[@chriso8485]

Watching this again years later, I realise how deliberately insulting this programme is. Constantly calling the DJs 'dinosaurs' and 'old' is clearly a revenge hit by BBC management and it is discrimination. John Peel was relatively old but he stayed because he played edgy up to date stuff. The other DJs could have done the same. Jackie Brambles was young, blonde and all my mates fancied her but she was given the boot. It is clearly stated in the video that the long term DJs had millions upon millions of listeners so why were they really sacked? It actually doesn't make sense. Too many contradictions here. But the answer is simple. Money and control. Get someone cheaper in to do the same job on a more flexible contract with less protections, whilst taking the control away from long term employees who naturally start to feel they are the management over time. I've seen it in many organisations where very long term staff react negatively to a new manager coming in and telling them what and how to do things. DLT was only 40 in 1985, not exactly old. Once Chris Evans started to want power and control he faced the same fate. Young people don't realise how huge Radio 1 used to be. I was 10 in 1983, so I remember the 80s and 90s well. Me and my friends didn't once think the DJs were too old. I remember visiting my girlfriend in 1990 and she would always tape the Radio 1 Roadshow and play it back regularly. I remember visiting a Roadshow with thousands in Sutton Park in 1992. Everyone loved them. At 17 I worked in a large warehouse. EVERY member of the warehouse team would stop what they are doing to play Bits and Pieces and then listen to Our Tune. No word of a lie. My dad would tape Adrian Juste and play it back in the car when we went for a drive on the Sunday. I remember at 14 years old regularly tuning into Pot Black. The sole reason was it was entertaining! These segments were part of British working class culture. Listener numbers over the last 10/15 years are nowhere near what they were in the 80s. Tens of millions per day. If the BBC was able to adverts during these times it would have generated millions of pounds. Not bad for these 'dinosaurs'. Of course in 1989/1990 onwards the rave scene exploded. Teenagers everywhere went mad for it. I remember Gary Davies playing LFO by LFO and saying he hated it or words to that effect. Same with Steve Wright. I remember that was the first disconnection I felt with a radio station I loved. This gave rise to huge numbers of pirate radio stations in the UKs cities, in Birmingham alone I counted at least 10 on one weekend. Obviously the guys would have left eventually due to retirement but that reaction by the DJs should have been controlled and playlists modified accordingly. But of course they were never going to be because this was about control.

[@smorancomedy]

Interesting to hear this, a take you don't hear very often, thanks.

[@EssexNonLeague]

​@fcsfcsfcs85 The problem at the time though was Radio 2 had, unfortunately, skewed older in the late 80s and early 90s under Frances Line. As a result, she was not interested in bringing in Radio 1 DJs, who I don't think had much of an appetite for joining anyway. By 1995 there was a massive divide between Radios 1 & 2. Luckily, over time, they have changed it back in to what it was kind of like in the earlier years, with older Radio 1 DJs moving over to Radio 2, and the two stations evolving in a similar direction.

[@EssexNonLeague]

Strange for Gary to say that, given he was the one credited for 808 State breaking through in the UK, and still regularly plays in Ibiza and produces deep house music. I guess everyone has different tastes. As good a documentary as this was, it does have plenty of inaccuracies. For a start, Jacqui Brambles was not fired. She left in early '94 to take up a job and new life in the States. Johnny Walker was also kept on until around '95 for a 70s show on a Saturday afternoon. Later in the programme, it mentions Bruno Brookes was axed after Chris Evans' breakfast show took off. In fact, although Bruno was axed, his departure date coincided with that of Steve Wright, who left breakfast and the station by his own accord on the same morning.

[@amoebicindustries]

they WERE dinosaurs! and cheesy old bastards like Lee Travis and Bates and Read deserved to be deliberately insulted. their shows were an insult to radio

[@BruceDanton-xw6eg]

Yes that was so right then too.

[@lewstone1934]

This event in the BBC's history is so much more than just changing the culture at Radio 1. Popular entertainment Itself became totally Malignant with the CANCER OF MEDIOCRITY round about 1993 (when looks became more important than talent, and the pathetic boy/girl "bands" started with their inane and anaemic "songs"). Chris Evans symbolises an evolutionary change from demure and modest - to outspoken and arrogant. I detested him the moment he appeared on television. He really did usher in the era of the spoilt celebrity.

[@ajs41]

I agree. In fact I think British society in general was slowly getting better until about 1993 or 1994 and has been on a downward path ever since then. Very depressing, but I feel lucky to have been growing up during the 1980s and early 1990s when you could feel that things were actually improving.

[@evonne_o]

@@ajs41 I agree. Shame I was a bit too young in the 80s to really enjoy it.

[@alexanderjames6328]

@@evonne_o Agreed. It's getting more Americanised by the day, sadly.

[@Robert_Manners]

Everything you say is true, the sad part is that at the time I was just a 19 year old lad so I didn't see the harm and damage that was being done.

[@mbvideoselection]

1993 was the year the bubble burst in many ways.

[@Chris_34]

So, Radio 1 lost half its audience and the BBC considered that a success? So glad I don't pay the licence fee.

[@BillOdyssey]

The 'Psycho' music was a masterstroke

[@paulm.7422]

The BBC would have done far better to have left Radio One as it was ... as an "oldies" station for an ageing baby boomer generation ... then set up the likes of Radio One Extra for the younger crowd. The emphasis in radio is always to chase youth ... the teenagers and 20-somethings ... something I will never understand, as radio is far less significant to that fickle demographic. They carry their music with them ... in their smartphones!

[@jackwilfan7573]

completely disagree. Radio 2 is your MOR station, Radio 1 should be a station for young people and we do listen. 1 Extra is a way for the BBC to fulfill the remit of representing black music and making sure that it has a central output. The medallion man and Steve 'does the same as he did when he started in the 80s' Wright and even Evans - that's basically what 1 was

[@Robertsshed]

The thing is BBC radio and television stations can't just be reformatted. The BBCs Royal Charter requires that Radio 1 caters to young people, and Radio 2 caters to people 30 and upwards and so on. If a commercial station realises it has a different audience profile to what it was set up to cater to, they can just run with it. The BBC can only really try to reformat a station whenever it's royal charter is up for renewal.

[@applemask]

They couldn't set up a Radio One Extra in 1993, there was no internet or digital radio.

[@anthonyperkins7556]

@@applemask Ahh but they could do it on the Astra Satellite and beam it all over Europe like R1-R4 did

[@amoebicindustries]

no they wouldn't

[@Cryingreal1234]

Using this for edits TYSM!!!

[@amyclarke41]

Miss simon bates honest

[@Louisejames23]

These two come across as total knobs. Treated great servants of Radio 1 very poorly.

[@Bruce-vq7ni]

But those old gits had to go.

[@alexanderjames6328]

@@Bruce-vq7ni Brainless - Bruce!

[@markc8956]

Matthew when he went to 5Live as a presenter in the early 2000s was a great sound. As a management boss,a total arse.

[@rachelc1492]

I don't understand the comment :"I didnt see much point in keeping Bruno Brookes on....but the audience was really good." 🤷

[@johnking5174]

Just about sums up management "thinking" in this world

[@markc8956]

I think the implication from Trevor Dann when he said that,was that if you have good listening figures,smart money is to keep them despite Bruno at the time being past it. I think at the time (1994?) he was also the host of the Top 40 on Sundays,and when you get that gig,history says you're on your way out anyway.. his successor was the same in 2002,although Mark Goodier went on his own terms,unlike Bruno!

[@Leeds71]

Paying too much money for mediocre presenters, I'll bet the BBC learned quickly - oh, hang on

[@anthonyperkins7556]

Today Radio 1 is a load of crap

[@hansmoleman8533]

Radio one died the day Mark n Lard left. Stop!

[@markc8956]

Actually,it died when Moyles was forced out in 2012.

[@whatamalike]

33:36 and while that's hardly untrue, to quote homer simpson, seems like the classy thing to do would be not to call attention to it

[@anthonyperkins7556]

I'd like to see a documentary on the state of Radio 1 today and how it has become a black music and chav station that it is today which is irrelevant and unloved

[@PoliticalParadigms]

anthony perkins no no no no to everything you just said.

[@GLOBEREVIEWS]

It’s for little chavs that call everything they like “sick” 🙄🤬

[@mixtapesfrommylatepartner]

You've contradicted yourself in your own comment there. You've named two groups of people, some of whom may well love and find relevant Radio 1.

[@Dommer1973]

Best thing that ever happened to Radio 1. Despised Bates and DLT. Sad middle aged men trying to be teenagers.As for Juste, anyone under 45 remember him? He was the unfunny one trying to be Kenny Everett.

[@Dommer1973]

Steve Wright still uses the same press photos today.

[@colinjennings3661]

Bruno brookes. Good God almighty.

[@Andy-xn1le]

juste and DLT couldn't lace Bakers boots, Bannister was right to sack the ones he did.

[@dlamiss]

Baker ls a unique broadcaster granted but probably not radio one material

[@andrewhudson4623]

Trevor Dann you dont know what your talking about regarding Status quo i have been to concerts and all agers fron teenagers upwards

[@leemorris2924]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

[@twitchygiraffe4636]

Honestly????

[@mixtapesfrommylatepartner]

Yeah. Back in the 1960s 🤣

[@thevan3293]

The overzealous background music has destroyed this documentary.

[@CARLIN4737]

They are all in jail now?

[@matthewbown1072]

I started listening to Radio 1 in about 91,I was 11 at the time . Used to loved listening to Radio 1 during this time right until late 00s .But I was never a fan of Chris Moyles

[@markc8956]

As I strongly hated Ben Cooper shitting on Moyles and taking Breakfast off him to give it to Nick Grimbore. Moyles at Radio 1 actually gave them bigger listeners. Look at what Chris is now doing on X. Evans slated Moyles despite the two being similar in some ways. Like the pot calling the kettle black. At least Moyles is less up his own ass ,Evans has no humility.

[@chrisredditch]

Adrian Juste wasn't very funny on this programme. Just like his radio show.

[@Theslavedrivers]

It is Juste who sums the whole thing up perfectly at the end, though - 'He ripped the heart out of it'.

[@newforestpixie5297]

Adrian is a bit ungrateful in my opinion. There are just as many imaginative presenters whom never got the opportunity that he did. I know his name and probably so do a few million others. He thought he’d become another giant but those days were over and whoever was in control would’ve forced him out before long. He must’ve received a payout too - not bad for a job he dreamt of doing - unlike many when it comes to paid employment. thanks for this David - I hoped this would’ve been put up . 😁🏴😇❤️from Wilverley Enclosure Witches

[@RJW1967]

Great documentary, once Evans and Britpop were gone it was fuck Radio 1, haven't listened to it since.

[@alk6225]

bizarre on both sides, like an old folks home, taking low level entertainment too seriously

[@adamgrimsley2900]

This is so funny

[@charliesthill4790]

Troll documentaries? Interesting.

[@wanderer1955]

Radio 1 was right to drop Status Quo and other aging rockers. And I LOVE Status Quo, I practically have all their stuff.

[@ramairgto72]

Music is from MAD MAX

[@lewstone1934]

it's from Psycho actually (1960)

[@alexanderjames6328]

@@lewstone1934 Indeed!

[@bobbaldwin3572]

Adrian Juste : possibly the bitterest man in the UK

[@sirrobin8814]

....... and one of the biggest tossers.

[@BossySwan]

Sour grapes Adrian

[@annother3350]

Danny baker is genius - radio 1 doesn't like cockneys

[@Bruce-vq7ni]

no one like cockneys.

[@thescreamsmusic]

Ann Other Thanks for that Danny now go back to your Coke

[@swanvictor887]

I find the managers approach utterly sickening: THIS was the very start of THE WOKE, that apparently everyone hates!! THEY HAD 15 FIFTEEN MILLION LISTENERS A DAY!! Yeah, great ide Management: lets sack all the DJs who make money and get listeners, then choose talentless idiots! My God, Chris Evans FFS!! SO THEY GOT THEIR "YOUNG " Audience...Big Deal. 3 million listeners, tops??

[@johnking5174]

"make money" - I think you don't understand how the BBC Radio services work. BBC Radio 1 is not a for-profit station. The DJs there have no influence over money, as it is licence fee funded.

[@swanvictor887]

@@johnking5174 I wasn't being literal and no, I never worked for BBC Radio but I DID work for a lot of the DJs in outside work (I was an ENG Cameraman). For the BBC, the literal 'Money' are the number of listeners, however, you may be surprised to learn, the BBC DID make money through Radio, as they licensed the content and transmitted the shows in countries around the world, particularly Africa and S.E Asia. With TV of course, they had multiple shows that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, such as Top Gear, Masterchef, Match of the Day and hundreds more. The massive income allows the License fee to be so low: 16 pounds a month for ALL the BBC services...compared to SKY.....how much are sky charging these days ( I left the UK in 2010)?

[@michaelleacy]

I hate this style of documentary where they film all these ridiculous sequences as if depicting anything at all. Cut out ten minutes and just tell the story

[@jasonyoung9226]

Very interesting documentary, slightly spoilt by the over dramatic music and dumbed down format that we as viewers have sadly accepted as the norm. That said, having a little inside knowledge of how the radio industry works I think the criticism of Bannister is wrong. He was given a job to do and he did it. Radio is a cut throat business. Nobody's job is safe. It's all a numbers game. If you fall below the targeted reach you're toast. Just because you happen to be a household name doesn't entitle you to a job for life. Trevor seemed to have more knowledge of man- management than Bannister and his approach to dealing with Chris Evans would have been better I feel. Evans problem has always been that his egotistical and sycophantic nature out perform his broadcasting ability. This was apparent when Evans took over from (probably one of the greatest broadcasters of our time) Terry Wogan. He took what was the most listened to breakfast show in the UK , turned it into a zoo format and made it all about him (again). Moyles is another example of this. No presenter is ever bigger than the station they work for. Ironically though, the change that Bannister pushed through has manifested itself into the Radio 1 we have today, pretty much aimed at 15 year old impressionable teenagers only. With digital radio freely available now I do think that mainstream FM stations should steer more towards the centre ground of music leaving the more extreme genres to specialist stations.

[@adamgrimsley2900]

I love the music