Radio 1 Dean McCullough is set to leave Radio 1 as part of a six-presenter schedule shake-up that also moves Melvin Odoom, Rickie Haywood-Williams, Nat O'Leary, James Cusack and Swarzy out of the line-up. The changes hit several slots at once, with new hosts already named for the affected shows.
Dean McCullough’s 6 years
Dean McCullough said leaving after the “most incredible 6 years at Radio 1” was “such a hard decision”, and he added that it was “time for a change”. That puts a personal line under a wider station reset: one presenter is choosing to move on, while Radio 1 is also shifting multiple programmes around him.
Melvin Odoom and Rickie Haywood-Williams are also leaving after first joining in 2019, and they described their time on the station as an “unforgettable experience”. They said they have made many memories from starting out on the late-night show to hosting the Live Lounge, which makes their departure feel less like a routine handover and more like the end of a long-running on-air partnership.
Radio 1’s new line-up
Jeremiah Asiamah will replace Rickie Haywood-Williams and Melvin Odoom, while Charlie Hedges stays on as a Live Lounge host. That keeps one familiar name in place even as the station reshapes two of its most recognisable presenting roles.
GK Barry will present a series of shows across the year starting in September, and Charley Marlowe will take over from Nat O'Leary to co-host with Vicky Hawkesworth in the 10.30 to 13:00 BST Friday to Sunday slot. Danny Mylo and Rosie Madison will take over Early Breakfast from Dean McCullough, Emil Franchi will host Weekend Breakfast, and Lauren Layfield will front The Official Chart: First Look live from Birmingham on Sunday evenings.
September’s Radio 1 shift
Charley Marlowe said she was “thrilled to be joining the Radio 1 family” and promised to “captivate your ears, not so much your eyes due to it being radio”. Emil Franchi said he “can’t wait to get to work”, while GK Barry said she was “really excited” and promised “a lot of humour, chaos and embarrassing stories along the way”.
The practical takeaway for listeners is simple: the old breakfast, chart and weekend slots are not disappearing, but the names attached to them are changing. For the station, six departures at once is a clear sign that this is not a one-person exit but a full schedule reset, and the real test will be whether the new line-up settles quickly when September begins.
