TV Charlene: When will Radio 1 brekkie host be female or darker hue?
ITN newsreader hits out at BBC
RADIO 1 has been accused of resorting to “stereotypes” by appointing another white man as its Breakfast Show host.
Nick Grimshaw, 33, is moving on after six years to be replaced by 4-7pm DJ Greg James, 32.
But ITV newsreader Charlene White, the first black woman to present News at Ten, blasted: “It’s amazing how a ‘youth’ channel still conforms to the same ol’ breakfast show stereotypes.”
Charlene, 37, who used to work for the BBC on Radio 1’s Newsbeat and 1Xtra, added: “High-fives to Zoe Ball and Sara Cox – the only women to host it since its creation in 1973. But I’m still waiting to high-five a R1 brekkie host who’s got a... darker hue.”
A Radio 1 source said: “Radio 1 is diverse and getting more so all the time, you only need to look at its schedule and team of talented stars, who got their jobs on merit.
“Greg was the best person for the job, he’s one of the most popular presenters.”
Grimmy lost 600,000 listeners by March this year, down from 5.7 million a week at the end of 2017.
He told listeners: “I’ve decided it’s time for a change.”
Yesterday replacement Greg revealed he is engaged after his partner Bella Mackie proposed to him earlier this year.
He added: “The only problem is she loves staying up into the early hours drinking as much as I do.”