To hate Jo Wiley

[bridgetjonesmassivepants]

Not personally obviously, surprisingly enough I don't know her, but I love the Radio 2 Drivetime programme and she is going to ruin it. I find her voice grating, she has a babyish breathy style that is highly irritating. The Drivetime show was perfect and now they have got rid of homework, foody Thursday with Nigel and they are getting rid of MATT!!!! Are they crazy???

I'm all for gender equality but why can't Jo share a show with Steve Wright as his show is already awful.

I know I may be getting this out of proportion but it feels like this show is part of my life and it's just gone.

Kitchen - I think you're right. Simon's written a book that all say is going to be into a film, so he'll be otherwise occupied.

I like Jo. Later in the evening when mellowing.

Another one who is really struggling with the new format. Did anyone else absolutely bawl their eyes out when Matt did his goodbye speech and Simon then played Sunshine on Leith? From what Simon said then - "something about being sorry Matt didn't make it to the next round" - it sounded like Simon did not want the change at all.

If it ain't broke don't fix it - Drivetime was brilliant, Jo Whiley's evening show suited her, so why change it? As loads of people have said, Steve Wright is dire, so outdated and unfunny and yet they've left him alone.

Anyone know if there's a website or email address at the BBC where you can make your feelings heard?

Margie - a petition at www.change.org/p/bbc-bring-back-simon-mayo-and-the-dream-team?recruiter=389169932&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_petition

And there's a BBC Complaints but it's useless. They finally responded with the same bland and useless response that they put up on the complaints page.

Sorry, forgot the link:

www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/complaint/JoWhileyandSimonMayo/

This may have been addressed upthread but can anyone point me in the direction of any sort of explanation for WHY the BBC have made this change? I seriously just do not understand it. Yes, the 7-8pm slot has been a bit ropey and needed a change but why do this?!

Also, what sort of dirt has Steve Wright got on everyone at the Beeb that he is STILL there with probably the worst radio show ever????

Thanks MrsMozart, will sign the petition now.

And @TheKitchenWitch, this comment is MN gold: "Steve Wright should fuck off to the far side of fuck."

MrsMozart You're right, it's so bland and useless that they refer to listeners as 'viewers'. It's just some generic cobblers designed to bat away our concerns.

I have mixed fringes about this. I find JW very annoying - a pp used the words coquettish and breathy, which sums it up for me.

However I REALLY disliked Matt, who seemed to be batting above his average with that gig - I won't miss him.

I will miss Nigel though, and even if I think Confessions is clearly entirely made-up by some researcher in a darkened room somewhere, it's surely a v popular feature.

For me, the real mystery is Moira, on the Breakfast Show. I can't stand to hear her!! Having said that, it's not like she's the only thing ruining the Breakfast Show for me.

mixed feelings!!

Not mixed fringes...

I used to be able to talk my 6 and 8 year old into listening to Drivetime with me. They'd start off reluctant and end up chuckling at Matt's attempt at the homework questions and the Confessions. We also liked working out how the song (not track) choices linked to the topic of the day.
Today, my son just proclaimed it really really boring and there was such a push back from the kids after 5 minutes, one took over the radio controls and I found myself listening to Greatest Showman soundtrack for the millionth time this year.
I'm dreading the school run tomorrow if the request show doesn't go as planned. Must steel one's self for really bad karaoke version of "This Is Me".
I don't mind Jo Wiley taking over Steve Wright Monday to Thursday, but please leave DJ SillyBoy on Friday. Serious Jockin no G is my guilty pleasure.
Actually, can she take Jeremy Vines slot. He annoys me with all that false empathy/sympathy he shows to the callers. "I can only imagine", "that must have been hard for you", "thank you for your call, must have been very painful to share that".

The more I read this thread and find myself nodding along with everyones dislikes about various R2 presenters the more I wonder why I ever listen to R2 - Ive agreed with so many of your criticisms Ive realised I dont like almost any of the presenters!

Lisa Tarbucks show and Paul O'Grady excepted. And the content of the folk show although I still would prefer Mike Harding.

Tried again this evening in the car - we lasted a few minutes. It's not just the presenters, what's with the dreary choices of music? Drivetime was upbeat, topical, fun show with a few nice tunes in between but now it's just crap!!

What genius was it at Radio 2 that ever thought for a single second this was a good idea?

Hate the Show Jo!

I've just listened to Matt's last show on iplayer. I hadn't realised at the time it was the last one so hadn't listened to the whole thing live.

I thought Simon and Jo were marginally better tonight.

I can't stand Chris Evans. I've mostly switched to radio 4 but I do like Jeremy Vine. He's my guilty pleasure over lunch.

I saw this thread yesterday but didn't really care much... That was until my Thursday evening drive at 7pm when I discovered someone stole my Bob Harris. It made me grumpy for the rest of the night! I lasted all of about a minute before I turned to R4 but I had no interest in what they were discussing, or the music on R3. Now what am I supposed to do?!

I don’t want the long interviews either. It’s 6pm and I’m tired and liked the short snappy stuff. Sigh.

What were they thinking? Poor Simon just sounds weary and Jo sounds desperate. She’s great on her own, and could have done Steve Wright’s slot way better than him. Mind you, a nematode worm would be better than Silly Boy. Ugh.

We also gave up and turned over tonight to another show. I really did try to give it a chance but no, Drivetime is ruined. Whoever thought Jo was a good idea should be sacked and take her with them....dreadful music,awful presenting and just overwhelmingly irritating.

Gutted is an understatement... I haven't read full thread but I had thought by keeping confessions they'd keep Matt (he's the best bit!!!!) what will happen to the podcast?

I'm sure Jo is lovely IRL but drivetime was fine the way it was, a funny show I'd look forward to. Now it's essentially Jo's low tones stamping all over simon's show (let's face it all he has now is all request and the severely hindered confessions...sad sad times

I've been complaining on Twitter and signed the Change. I loved Simon and Matt's banter. Simon is the best presenter on radio and has a brilliant format. Nobody interacts better with his listenership than Simon.

I used to like Jo but she is a square peg in a round hole and has brought her late night chilled out music to what was a fun slot.

I don't like Steve Wright at all. He comes across as completely fake and has he ever read out a message which didn't praise him and his show? He has some great guests but rarely listens to their answers - it's all about him.

BBC please leave Drivetime as it was or Simon will leave and you'll then lose me as a listener and I expect millions more.

I don't hate Jo - she has good taste in music - but she's not terribly interesting. I don't think she suites the slot. I have defected to Eddie Mair.
Please Tell me Kermode and Mayo aren't going to be axed!

I can't listen to Chris Evans in the morning - I like the long song so i'll listen to that, but then turn over. Back in the 90s he was so much more acerbic in a car-crash radio sort of way and i could listen to him then, despite his overplaying of Shed 7 and the like, but now he's so bloody over-enthusiastic about everything, it's the last thing I need in the morning. I even hate his bloody 'how d'you like your eggs' jingle.

I remember her getting savaged by the usually very polite Radiohead in an interview, she was completely out of her depth and every question was pulled apart by them, especially Colin Greenwood who i've never heard being less than charming. I actually started to feel a bit sorry for her.

I can't stand Edith Bowman either, same simpering delivery. I posted something mildly critical about a programme she was on and got a tweet back from her saying i was letting 'the cause' down, whatever that means.

At least Mary Ann Hobbs knows her stuff!

@PollyCotton they aren't discussing anything in R4 at 7pm. It's the Archers.

Oh and I think Ken Bruce is great, i used to get most of the Popmaster questions right apart from the champions league ones before Christmas.

The sad thing about all this is that the BBC really do not care what we think. Radio audiences are measured by Rajars - based on diary records and guesstimates and guess who co-owns Rajar. Yep - the BBC! They don't give a monkey's what people think, they don't give a monkey's if people tune out. They will persevere with this awful format and anyone who doesn't like it - tough. They've already got our license fee money.

I'm another one who cannot abide Chris Evans and haven't listened to the Breakfast Show in years. I don't mind Ken Bruce and will always try and catch Popmaster and Tracks of My Years. Can take or leave Vine and Wright, but would always listen to Drivetime every evening. Not any more.

So they lose another listener, but they don't give a shit. We can sign petitions and complain all we like but they will push through with it anyway. A perfectly good, enjoyable, fun, upbeat, easy listening show that was absolutely fine as it was .... is now completely ruined.