So Jo Whiley has got what she wanted

[mydogmymate]

Simon Mayo is leaving radio 2. AIBU to think he's been pushed out?

Many people protested against Jo Whiley joining the show but obviously the BBC don't care what we think 🤬

I think Simon has been wanting to leave for a while to concentrate on his writing. It wouldn’t surprise me if they brought Jo in with the intention of easing him out and giving her the full time gig.

I’m not a massive fan of her presenting style but she seems like a nice person and doesn’t deserve the vitriol.

I’m glad Simon is staying on the 5 live film show with Mark Kermode though.

It was a woeful failure to recognise Simon Mayo's popularity and the popularity of Drivetime by the high ups couple with a directive to place more women on Prime shows for equality reasons whether or not the woman was suited to the style of show.

None of this is Jo Whileys doing and it's disgusting to blame her and misogyny

Simon Mayo has been treated very shabbily by Lewis Carnie (Controller) and his team and I don't blame him in the slightest for quitting

It's because radio 2's target demographic is changing. The 30-40's age group are not exactly in to Simon Mayo 😂

They realised changing Radio 1 several years ago left the then 25-30's generation with FUCK ALL to listen to. We're now 30's to 40's and want to listen to the radio again!

I am 37 and I am a big fan of Simon Mayo and I never got the idea that his listeners were exclusive to an older demographic

It’s nothing to do with Jo Whiley. The BBC have got what they wanted. Mayo has walked, and will replaced by a woman.

Typical bbc radio tactic. Stuck with popular presenter they no longer want. Revamp the show and lose half audience. Cancel new programme through 'lack of interest'.

My thoughts too OP. She has ruined the drive time show. Won't be listening when he goes.

She's leaving too? They didn't make that clear. Who will be hosting then?

Of course you were being spiteful. Saying No Wiley 'got what she wanted' suggests that she was keen to get rid of Simon so she could take over the show on her own. You may now know that's not the case, but it's still spiteful to say it in the first place.

I liked Jo’s old show too, at night. I loved Simon’s drivetime.

I just wish they would bring that back.

This failure is solely on the BBC and that’s that. They should have listened to the petitions. It isn’t Jo’s fault any more than Simon’s

I dislike Jo. She's not a generous presenter, all about her and she acts like a groupie at times which makes me cringe. BBC, the only way to rectify this is to bring in Lisa Tarbuck. Totally unique and funny.

The 30-40's age group are not exactly in to Simon Mayo

Their exactly the demographic that wouod be in to him tjey grew up with him on the radio 1 breakfast, and followed him to five live in teenage years

It's not misogyny. I know many women (me included) who can't stand Jo because of how she presents, nothing to do with her gender!

Mayo has actually tweeted extensively this morning and declared very vociferously that he loves Jo and the abuse she has taken over this is both factually wrong and unacceptable

He declared he was leaving because he had a new book deal, and two of his books have been optioned to film and he is involved.

(But the destruction of his show pushed him out, undoubtedly)

I doubt very much that "Jo got what she wanted"

I doubt she wanted to be used as a poster child, put on a show that didn't suit her, ruining a friends show through no fault of her own, take all the flack for that from the listeners only to have the show fail after a matter of months and be moved off it because friend quit

Yes, I bet she's popping the champagne corks tonight, not having a bit of a cry over trolls blaming her for Mayo's choice

I wonder if Richard Allinson could be poached from magic (?) he’s great !

OP has said she titled that wrong as she hadn't realised Jo was also moving on. BBC are the target. Poor show!

Simon and Jo both hung out to dry here. Another example of the licence fee paying public being ridden over rough shod! People's Choice for breakfast was clearly Sara Cox too but we now have Zoe Ball inflicted on us. Not me, I'll be switching off now in Jan. Classic FM and LBC all the way! ( although I will follow Chris Evans in the mornings) Steve Wright is way past his sell by too! BBC....moral of this story.., don't mess with the Mayo and show a little more respect for the Coxy!

On an earlier thread we all said that we think the reason Sara Cox didn't get Breakfast is because she's got Drivetime and it's just not been announced. Funnily enough it's her old R1 slot IIRC

Don't mess with Steve Wright! I will seriously switch off then Chris can go, far too enthusiastic in the mornings for me. I wanted Sara Cox too. I like Zoe but she talks too fast.I need to be woken gently, won't be sad to not hear Chris's klaxon every morning. 6 music gets my vote so far as I can't bare commercial radio.

Am sorry to see Simon Mayo go but maybe it's time for a change, and he's still on 5 doing the film show, and possibly on Smooth in the future. A new - even unknown - presenter might be great at Drive. Jo Wiley is great in a later slot like she was previously.

The real shake-up needs to be putting out to pasture Steve Wright who's outstayed his welcome and is cheesy, old-fashioned and cringey.

Maybe Sara didn't want a breakfast show? Maybe she wants to do the school run? It's seriously hard to get up at that hour and I could never fathom why the millionaire Evans did it! I presumed he was leaving to spend time with his family and help his wife in the morning.

Simon Mayo's programme is intelligent, funny and relevant. Felt sorry for Jo being put there to boost females on Radio 2 in daytime numbers but she is better in the evening. The one to go surely has to be Steve Wright - outdated, unfunny, sycophantic and corny plus being grossly overpaid. Zoe will be great, Ken is a legend, Craig Charles has played some wonderful music......... just not Steve Wright. It would be just like the BBC to bow to pressure to have more female presenters during the day and change them all to females!!! We need a good balance of intelligent people!!

Oh dear, cringe you didn’t read the articles first.

The BBC have cocked Drivetimr right up, but they did that despite having heard for years where Jo’s talents lie and overlooking the salient fact that Drivetime wasn’t broken.

Now that there’s an opportunity to make this slot really good again can I implore that Liza Tarbuck doesn’t get the gig.

Also, can anyone answer me this. Exactly what bodies locations must Steve Wright know about?

The real shake-up needs to be putting out to pasture Steve Wright who's outstayed his welcome and is cheesy, old-fashioned and cringey.

Steve is great and saved me from post natal depression more than once.

Jeremy Vine has to go surely. He makes my skin crawl! Get Vanessa Feltz in that spot. Far more intelligent , sensitive and articulate.