Greg James has opened up about the awkward and humiliating start to his BBC Radio 1 journey, revealing that former breakfast host Chris Moyles immediately branded him a “posh student” when he joined the station at just 21 years old. 😳📻
The now-40-year-old presenter admitted he was stunned by the harsh nickname after landing his dream role on the station’s Early Breakfast Show back in 2007 — a huge opportunity that came with an impressive £80,000 salary. At the time, Chris Moyles ruled the Radio 1 Breakfast slot and quickly began teasing the fresh-faced newcomer on air.
Writing in his memoir All the Best for the Future, Greg confessed he never expected the Yorkshire DJ to take aim at him so quickly. He recalled: “Imagine my surprise when I turned up at Radio 1 and was thrust into the incredible daytime line-up to do the Early Breakfast Show before Chris Moyles every day, only for him to start calling me ‘the posh student’.”
Greg admitted the label frustrated him, especially because Moyles knew nothing about his real upbringing. “He saw what he thought was a nice, excited, slightly boring 21-year-old from the Home Counties with fantastic flowing indie hair who he could wind up a bit because I was new and just very happy to be there,” he explained.
Although both of Greg’s parents were teachers, the presenter insisted the stereotype felt unfair and reductive. He wrote: “I really wasn’t expecting that. I don’t help myself with the cricket thing, but it felt reductive to be called that.”
Despite the uncomfortable beginning, Greg said the experience eventually toughened him up for the brutal world of radio broadcasting. Over time, the pair developed a sarcastic on-air chemistry that listeners loved.
“Eventually we had quite a funny on-air relationship where we’d take the p*** out of each other,” Greg shared. “I had to prove myself and also start working out who I was. So I’m grateful for the baptism of fire.”
The presenter — who eventually replaced Nick Grimshaw as Radio 1 Breakfast host in 2018 — also paid tribute to Scott Mills, describing him as one of his biggest broadcasting heroes during university. Greg recalled waking up early just to hear the end of Scott’s shows because he admired his humour, creativity and spontaneity so much. 🎙️✨
The revelations come shortly after Greg sparked controversy during a live appearance at a north London church alongside actress Emily Atack, where both stars reportedly used repeated swearing in front of children while joking about celebrities including Prince William, Holly Willoughby and Ant and Dec.
During the event, Greg joked about Prince William’s cycling helmet following their Comic Relief charity bike ride together, quipping: “Would you like to touch the royal helmet?” before laughing that the Prince was “bald as a coot.” 😬👑
Meanwhile, Emily Atack drew gasps from the audience after mocking Holly Willoughby’s polished public image and swearing repeatedly on stage.
