Radio 1 to scrap 'cheesy' breakfast show jingles when Nick Grimshaw takes over from Chris Moyles next month

Radio 1 is to scrap “cheesy” sung jingles on its breakfast show when Nick Grimshaw takes over from Chris Moyles next month.

In a document sent to music firms, the station said it was looking to commission a new identifying theme in a different style to previous shows.

The theme for Grimshaw, 27, chosen for his appeal to younger listeners, “needs to stand out and not sound like any previous BBC Radio 1 breakfast shows. Please steer clear of sung jingles and variants of breakfast themes and identities past and present.”

Moyles, who co-wrote his own sung jingles with the company Music 4, earned royalties each time he aired his own tunes. The earnings amounted to an estimated £75,000 extra year.  But Radio 1 is now seeking a change of direction.

The station said it was looking for a theme that must "sound slickly produced and original" and feature "live instrumentation and an identifying motif (logo)". The document states: "The new breakfast show will sound young, exciting, big and confident.”

Radio 1 will own the rights to the music “in perpetuity and exclusively,” the BBC News website stated whilst the creator retained their composer’s rights.

Moyles, 38, who has been offered a new late-night role, taking over Grimshaw’s slot, appeared unimpressed. He tweeted a link to the BBC story, adding: “Wow. Hold the 12th page!”

The new Grimshaw show, which begins on September 24, will feature more music, Radio 1 promised. Listener research found that audiences wanted more songs and less chat in the breakfast slot.