Grimshaw quits Radio 1 breakfast show

Oldham-born broadcasting star Nick Grimshaw

Oldham-born broadcasting star Nick Grimshaw will step down as host of BBC Radio 1's flagship breakfast show. 

He announced the news to the country on his show this morning (Thursday), as the BBC revealed Greg James will take over.

The DJ's decision to leave comes after the programme lost 600,000 listeners in the first quarter of 2018.

He said: ''It was always my dream to do the breakfast show and I'm very grateful that I got to live my dream every day for what will be nearly six years. 

"But six years is a long time and this isn't a forever job. I had the time of my life."

BBC Radio 1's Twitter account wrote: "Don't worry though guys, Grimmy may be stepping down from the Breakfast Show but he's staying with the station and our friend and yours, Mr @gregjames will be waking you up every morning."

Grimshaw pulled in 5.1million listeners a week in the first three months of the year, compared with 5.7 million a week in the last quarter of 2017, according to the latest audience research figures.

The drop of 11-per-cent is the second largest dip since he took over the breakfast show.

The biggest fall was between October and December 2012 and January and March 2013, when the audience fell by 14-per-cent.

He will now host the Drivetime show for Radio 1 in a straight swap with Greg James.