Radio 1’s listening figures hit 12 year low

BBC Radio 1 has seen its listening figures hit the biggest low in twelve years.

The station’s weekly figures have fallen from 10.5 million to 9.7 million, according to Rajar and as reported by The Guardian.

830,000 fewer listeners tuned in on the first three months of the year, when compared to the first quarter of 2014.

Nick Grimshaw - who hosts the station’s flagship Breakfast show - has also hit a twelve year low, his current weekly listenership hitting its biggest drop since taking over the slot from Chris Moyles.

Ben Cooper, controller of BBC Radio 1, said the figures were nothing to worry about - he heaped praise on Grimshaw’s ability to maintain a young audience. “Since Radio 1 has been completely focused on younger audiences – and the most common age of a Radio 1 listener is 21 – it was highly likely some older listeners would move on, like the half a million over-30s that left us this quarter. I’m pleased that Grimmy is doing what I’ve asked of him by keeping his young audience happy and scaring off the over-30s,” he said.

Radio 1 - which celebrates its Big Weekend in Norwich tomorrow - has undergone big changes in the past couple of months. Fearne Cotton presents her final show today (22nd May), while Zane Lowe recently moved on for a role at Apple.