BBC Radio 1 has revealed that six of its presenters will be leaving the station – including Rickie Haywood-Williams and Melvin Odoom.
The pair have hosted their mid-morning show for seven years alongside Charlie Hedges, who’ll be staying with the station.
Dean McCullough, Nat O’Leary, James Cusack and Swarzy will also be leaving.
“We thank them for their passion, creativity and dedication and wish them all the very best for whatever comes next,” Radio 1 said in a statement.
The departures come as part of BBC Radio 1’s schedule shake-up, with the station welcoming five new permanent hosts: I’m a Celeb’s GK Barry, social media star Charley Marlowe, broadcasters Mylo & Rosie and ex Absolute Radio host Emil Franchi.
Mylo and Rosie will be taking over the weekday Early Breakfast show from Dean McCullough, having previously presented on West Yorkshire’s Pulse 1.
Meanwhile, Rickie and Melvin will be replaced on Radio 1’s coveted Live Lounge show by Jeremiah Asiamah, who’ll host alongside Hedges.
Existing presenter Vicky Hawkesworth and Marlowe will take the station’s mid-morning slot from Friday to Sunday, while Franchi is replacing Cusack as the new host of Weekend Breakfast.
Taking to Instagram to announce his exit, Odoom said that presenting on Radio 1 has been “a dream”, having started at the BBC as a broadcast assistant for BBC 1Xtra. “We are so proud of everything we’ve achieved here and so excited to share what’s coming next! Our last show is the end of August and don’t forget you can catch me covering for my brother DJ Spoony on Radio 2 for the next few months,” he said.
While Haywood-Williams added: “The biggest thank you goes to the listeners. You amazing bunch have been the best part of the job – making us laugh every single day and reminding me why radio is so special.”
Meanwhile, McCullough, who competed on I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2024 alongside Odoom, said that leaving the station was “such a hard decision”, but added that it’s “time to spread my wings after the most incredible 6 years at Radio 1”.
“It’s time for a change, I’m so ready and vvvv excited for the future,” he added.
Head of BBC Radio 1, Aled Haydn Jones, said of the changes: “The new schedule brings together the world’s best DJs with the very best new music from the UK and beyond – and it all starts this September.”
While the BBC is yet to reveal the reason behind the schedule changes, other radio stations are facing major staff overhauls as part of job losses across BBC News, TV and radio.
The newly appointed director general Matt Brittin announced in June that he planned to slash the BBC’s costs by £160m, which would result in a total of 1,800 to 2,000 job losses across the business.
BBC Radio 4 is axing six shows as part of the cuts – The World Tonight, the Midnight News, Money Box Live, AntiSocial, The Law Show, and Crossing Continents – while the Today programme’s presenting line-up will go from five permanent presenters to four following Amol Rajan’s exit this year.
