Reports over the weekend claimed that one of BBC Radio 5 Live’s biggest names is said to be leaving the station, as he does not want to relocate to Salford’s Mediacity development.

If the rumours are to be believed, Simon Mayo may not be taking this stand alone…

Mayo: capital choice?

The Mail claimed that Mayo is set to step into Ken Bruce’s BBC Radio 2 weekday 9.30am-to-noon slot, as, in the words of the paper, “it is understood that Mayo, 50, has refused to uproot his family and move to Manchester.”

A source at the BBC allegedly commented: “The replacement of Ken Bruce with Simon Mayo is all being kept very quiet at the moment because it won't happen for a couple of years.

“The idea is that the change will happen in 2011, when 5 Live moves to Manchester. But they have to start planning for it now.”

The BBC refused to comment on the story.

In a related development, prominent political and media blogger Iain Dale also commented on 5's relocation this weekend, taking the matter to what he sees as the next logical step, as he noted:

Not an attraction?

“Nicky Campbell and Shelagh Fogarty, who present the Breakfast Show, are unlikely to want to move north. Victoria Derbyshire, who hails from Bolton, has reportedly told colleagues she's staying put in the capital.

“Peter Allen lives in Hertfordshire and is highly unlikely to go, and Anita Anand is carving out a TV career and so is also unlikely to move. Richard Bacon, too, is unlikely to go.

He concluded: “So what we are looking at is a completely new presenter line-up on the news and current affairs programmes.

“The question is, will their listeners stand for it?”

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Comments (5)

3  By james.crawford@bisslancaster.c , on 14-11-2008 11:46 Simon Mayo who? Report