DJ Sara Cox dropped from breakfast show

BBC Radio 1 DJ and magazine pages fixture Sara Cox is to be dropped from the Breakfast Show with Chris Moyles set to replace her, the station announced today.

The shake-up will take place in January, three months before her contract for the slot ends.

Cox – who had been criticised for losing listeners – will move to Moyles’ afternoon programme after three and a half years on the key morning show.

The station, which is increasingly focusing on younger listeners and specialist music genres, recently saw its audience slip below 10 million for the first time.

Many believed the writing was on the wall for Cox who has 5.4 million adult listeners according to the most recent audience figures.

Moyles was the only presenter in the frame to take over.

Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt said: “I am absolutely delighted that Chris has agreed to host the new breakfast show.

“He was my first and only choice as successor to Sara who has done a great job over the last three and a half years.

“In a market that is getting more competitive by the month I think Chris is going to be just what our audience is looking for.”

Johnny Vaughan was recently unveiled as the new Breakfast Show host for London station Capital FM.