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Greg James: New Radio 1 Breakfast Show is not for the critics

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Greg James is taking over the Radio 1 Breakfast Show

Greg James has promised when he takes the reins of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show it will be a "show for the listeners".

Radio 1 announced on Thursday that the presenter would be swapping slots with Nick Grimshaw later this year.

Shortly after the news broke, Greg told Newsbeat that he's not worried about the response to the show in the press.

"I feel like I have a really good handle on what the listeners enjoy," he said.

"People are always going to write stuff about it, but I'm not doing a show for critics or anything like that.

"I really love the listeners and doing a show for them."

During Grimmy's six years hosting the show, critical reports about his listening figures appeared in the press.

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According to Greg, talks were in place between him, Grimmy and Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper for several weeks before the announcement.

But it is still early days for Greg's breakfast show plans, and he's unsure whether popular features such as Rage Against The Answer Machine will join him in the switch to the early morning slot.

"I've thought secret thoughts about various things but we are nowhere near ready to announce anything like that," he admitted.

"We've now got a long summer to go away for a little bit, have a break and sit down and throw everything up in the air and just see what the new breakfast show will sound like."

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But he also promises the show will be a familiar listen to fans of his current drivetime show.

"There will be bits that will come with me and the spirit of the show will come with me," he added.

"I don't want to change the show too drastically because it's working and people seem to really like it. The spirit of it will be there but it will have a bit of extra magic sprinkled on top of it."

And Greg says the show couldn't have come at a better time for him.

"I wouldn't have been able to do this show six years ago," he said.

"But I feel I'm in a place in my life now where I feel really confident on air."

No date has been announced for the swap other than it will be in autumn.

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