BBC denies DJ Chris Moyles to be axed

Published on Saturday 18 April 2009 20:03

THE BBC was forced to deny yesterday that it was axing Radio 1 breakfast show host Chris Moyles.

According to The Sun newspaper, the 35-year-old will be moved aside later this year, with fellow station DJ Scott Mills stepping in while a permanent replacement is sought.

But a spokesman for the corporation said: "There are no plans to take Chris off the breakfast show. He has a hugely successful show with over seven million listeners."

The newspaper said Moyles is set to smash Tony Blackburn's record of five years and nine months in the hot seat. But, it added, BBC bosses want a rising star for the prestigious job amid criticism that the station's line-up is now too old for its listeners.

Moyles, from Leeds, took over the flagship radio role in 2004 from Sara Cox, soon adding one million listeners. He joined Radio 1 in 1997, styling himself as "The Saviour of Early Morning Radio".

Figures released by radio body Rajar for the final quarter of 2008 showed The Chris Moyles Show had 7.3 million listeners, up from 7.02 million in the previous quarter.