DJ Mayo leaves Radio 1

DJ and TV presenter Simon Mayo quits Radio 1

DJ Simon Mayo is quitting Radio 1 to host his own chat show on BBC 5Live.

He has become one of the most familiar voices on Radio 1 over the last 14 years, seeing his popular Confessions slot turned into a BBC One television series.

But 5Live head-hunted the 42-year-old DJ to present a new afternoon current affairs and chat show featuring live links to Prime Minister's Question Time in the House of Commons.

Rather than take on a new DJ, Radio 1 has extended the existing DJs' time slots, with Jo Whiley presenting the mid-morning show.

Schedulers are adding an extra hour to the workload of presenters Chris Moyles and Whiley, and 30 minutes to the Sara Cox show.

It is quite clear that what the station needs is yet another Spurs fan

Simon Mayo
on 5Live

Mayo, who follows in the 5Live footsteps of former Radio 1 DJ Nicky Campbell, is thrilled with the move.

He said: "I am absolutely delighted to be joining 5Live - it is quite clear that what the station needs is yet another Spurs fan."

The new three-hour 5Live Simon Mayo Show will broadcast from 1300GMT from May.

A 5Live spokeswoman said the new show would be about "Simon Mayo the person".

She said: "The show will very much develop around Simon and his style. There will be big interviews, sports and then Question Time and we were looking for someone who could pull it all together."

Comic Relief in 1999

Radio 1 Controller Andy Parfitt said: "Simon has been a real asset with a whole generation of listeners growing up tuning in to his shows.

"We wish him well in the next phase of his career."