Greg James, host of the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show, and the producer of the show, Vinuri Perera, showed how important the bond with the listeners is. “Radio is nothing without the audience,” said Greg. Listener feedback in particular is crucial. Greg wants to give listeners the same feeling as what he wants to hear on the radio. If there are suggestions from the audience, they are gladly accepted, be it for games or other show content. That connects. In the same way, people’s personal stories make the entertainment. Greg James sees it as a give and take. He gets a platform as a presenter, but also gives the listeners a platform. “You get the stars of the radio show. Imagine being in bed in the morning and Radio 1 is calling”. The bond once saved him the show. The production wanted to play a trick on him and claimed they were taking the show away from him. To win the show back, they distributed puzzle pieces all over England and with the help of the listeners, James had to find the pieces and put them together. A bit of banter is also involved. When James asked why the puzzle pieces had to be put together on the water, the producer replied: because it’s funny.
Not only listeners are part of the shows. Celebrities are also regularly invited to the show. And even in these situations, there are conversations with the audience. That’s what Greg James finds so special. “Everyone is equal on the radio. Thats the essence of the show. Everyone can chat with everyone.”
