Sad that Simon Mayo has quit Radio2 drive time

[flumpybear]

Just that really - such a shame he's always been great. He was supportive of Jo Whiley which was good of him

Radio2 is going way down in my estimations

Why has he quit? I always liked him. I was confused when Jo Whiley joined, was that some sort of handover period?

I will miss him. Loved driving to weekends away or to the channel tunnel whilst listening to Drivetime!

He's not just quit Drivetime, he's quit Radio2! Bet he pops up on Virgin.

Shame, because I listened faithfully to Breakfast when it was Wogan and Drivetime with Mayo. Couldn't stand CE, gave it a go, but gave up this year and changing Drivetime was the final straw for me. I've been listening to local radio ever since.

Think Jo in her own later slot is better, wonder if Sara Cox will get Drivetime?

They absolutely shafted both Mayo and Whiley by combining them in the first place,
Drive time fans rejected Whiley from the beginning, she never had a hope,
and Mayo was forced to jettison everything he'd built the show into over years including close colleagues.

Took a great show, ruined it, blamed the fans for complaining and then admitted defeat not surprised he's left the station I'd leave a employer who shat all over me like that also, fair play to him.

You've got it spot on @PawneeParksDept - radio 2 shafted then both. Will miss Simon a lot. Good luck to him.

Sara Cox on Drive Time would be fab!

Jo Whiley never worked for me - dull .

I'm wondering now if when Chris Evans left they called Sara Cox in and said "We aren't offering you Breakfast but that's not a reflection on you, the fact is Drivetime is bombing and we want you for that we just haven't broken the news to Mayo and Whiley yet"

Or Mayo resigned ages ago and they've just announced it so Sara Cox knew she already had Drivetime which is why she was very quiet when her name was thrown in the ring for Breakfast

Yep, Radio 2 shafted them both. I'm not a JW fan at all but she clearly has a fan base and that didn't fit at all with drive time. If they don't give it to Sara Cox now it'll be a travesty.

Didn't someone on here predict that SM would leave the programme a few months ago when they changed the drivetime show? I'm surprised they've also moved JW, maybe the BBC do take on board criticism. I don't mind JW, think she was ok on her evening show but the drivetime show with her was dire. Hope whoever takes over brings back Matt Williams.

I loved his show. Really missed the original format. I like Jo too, as he obviously does too, but them sharing the show just didn't work.

Drive time was one of my favourite shows. I loved Simon and the team. The BBC made a big mistake bringing in Jo Wiley and ditching a winning formula.

So sad to see Simon go.

There were rumours that he has wanted to go for a while. Even before the re-jigging of Drivetime.

I don’t have any problems with Jo - just think Drivetime wasn’t the right slot. She is much better suited to a later slot.

Which Radio 2 management have obviously finally realised given they are moving her too.

Just a shame they messed up the original Drivetime slot.

I quite like Sara and think she would be good on Drivetime. I’m not sure about Zoe on breakfast though - she seems lovely but sometimes doesn’t pause for breath!

Jo whiley belongs in a more specialist, less generic spot

Simon will be a great loss

Considering its public money, the public spoke out, they didn't listen, and now one of their gems is leaving somebody up high has a lot to answer for! Damn fools!!

All the daytime presenters on R2 were white dudes over the age of 50, so it's understandable (and arguably quite right and appropriate) that they felt the need to make some changes. I wrote to R2 about 20 years ago to complain that only women on the station were in graveyard slots. Very little has changed since then.

What I can't understand is why they seem to rotate the same few women to do stuff and then wonder why so many people protest...there are loads of likeable, famous, talented women out there, and I'm sure a couple of them wouldn't mind a shot at a radio show.

Who would you like to see on the schedules if availability were no object?

I'm not a huge fan and tend to switchover if I'm heading home at 5, but the way it's been handled is weird.
JW definitely better in a music/specialist slot.
Personally I'd like either Patrick Kielty (unlikely in the current climate due to being male) or maybe Lisa Tarbuck. Not sure drivetime fits with Sara Cox. Hasn't she got youngish pre-teen kids?

According to his Twitter account, he's got new books to write, a TV show about his Itch books being produced in Australia, as well as a movie screenplay to develop.

He'll still be doing Radio 5 Live's Film show with Mark Kermode.

mobile.twitter.com/simonmayo?lang=en

Putting JW on the drivetime slot was a mistake from day one, she just couldnt get it together enough for the "fly by the seat of your pants" style. She is better suited to something preplanned and more scripted. It is excrutiating listening to her on the phone with callers.

Shame he is leaving, it wont be the same without him. And I agree that they lost the best of the show when they rejigged it.

I am so annoyed at the bbc. This is what happened .... Simon and Jo were forced to unite because the bbc suddenly realised (shock horror) that their daily line up was solely 50 yo plus white male And it was stale, whenever Chris Evans or Steve Wright went on leave They were replaced by a breath of fresh air, usually Sara Cox or Zoe Ball, and I for one rejoiced. But .. the beeb are blinkered and think we love CE And SW, so until CE resigned, they wouldn’t consider firing him so they decide to take two great programs that are so different and loved for their own merits and merge them to try to convince us that the bbc is not as out of touch with reality as it is.

I can't understand why Steve Wright is still on the radio!! Apologies to any fans but I find him and his team boring nd he sings over all the songs!!

I’m with you paleshelter, it’s so old hat