Home » Comment & analysis » Breakfast radio hosts do one thing with alarming regularity

Breakfast radio hosts do one thing with alarming regularity

Posted by Steve Martin on 1 June 2018

Can any British radio presenter start or leave a breakfast show without mentioning their alarm clock?

Nick Grimshaw did it just this week as he announced his move to drivetime on BBC Radio 1:

But Grimmy’s just the latest in a line of morning talent who love to tell us about their early starts and the device that wakes them. Here’s Georgey Spanswick of BBC Radio York, quoted in the Yorkshire Post:

and Mike Toolan of Hits Radio, reported by the Manchester Evening News:

New “Today” presenter on BBC Radio 4, Martha Kearney announced her appointment thus:

and former BBC Radio 3 morning host Sara Mohr Pietch described her rude awakening in a totally on-brand manner to The Guardian:

Travel presenter Lynn Bowles, formerly of BBC Radio 2, threatened direct violence towards her alarm clock as she announced her departure from the station to Radio Today:

Lynn Bowles, former BBC Radio 2 travel presenter

while early man Paul Lockitt of BBC Radio Manchester:

and Richard Stead of BBC Radio Leeds:

…both give good clock in their press releases.

Finally, a special mention for Josey Rebelle of Rinse FM who subverted the genre with this post-show alarm clock arrangement:

Whether you think this habit provides endearing and sympathetic insights into the lives of popular radio presenters, or represents the repeated reliance on a lazy crutch by publicists, Earshot is ready to add more to the list. If you spot any other examples do send them over.

So far, Greg James and his Radio 1 publicist have deftly avoided any alarm clock quotations while Martha Kearney got what she asked for from fellow Radio 4 presenter Sarah Montague: