Post by Taxigirl on Jan 5, 2004 10:26:30 GMT
DJ Chris Moyles has taken over the flagship BBC Radio 1 breakfast slot with the aim of proving his boast to be the station's "saviour".
The 29-year-old swaps slots with Sara Cox, who lost more than 500,000 listeners last year.
Moyles, however, lost 700,000 from his previous daily afternoon show on Radio 1 in the 12 months to October.
Moyles admitted to his audience that presenting the Breakfast Show would be a "learning curve" for him.
During his first show he interviewed Victoria Beckham via phone about her latest single chart entry, questioning her about her life in Spain with husband David.
Moyles' direct style has led to frequent run-ins with both BBC bosses and radio watchdogs.
Trouble
He has a reputation for being abrasive to both listeners and guests.
His manner seems to have appealed to the station's core youth market but is not certain to be to everyone's taste.
His coarse comments have landed him in trouble with broadcasting watchdogs, particularly when he joked he wanted to take singer Charlotte Church's virginity when she reached the age of 16.
The Broadcasting Standards Commission received complaints about 34 separate shows of his, but only upheld five.
Moyles has long lobbied to take over the coveted breakfast slot, saying he was the only one who would be able to reverse the decline.
He strongly believes he is the one to stem the tide of listeners deserting the show, even going as far as criticising his colleague Cox.
Pregnant
Cox, who recently announced live on air that she was pregnant, will be taking over the afternoon slot vacated by Moyles and his team.
She had fronted the breakfast show for three and a half years.
While Cox started out as a TV presenter, Moyles' radio career began at the age of 16 when he worked for Radio Top Shop in Leeds.
Before landing a job at BBC Radio 1 he worked at Capital FM.
He has tried his hand at television presenting, with channel Five's Live With... Chris Moyles, but he lasted just three months before leaving amid poor viewing figures.