Jo Whiley insists she quit BBC Radio One

Currently working on a new music show that airs every Friday night on Sky Arts, Jo Whiley took time out of her extremely busy schedule for a candid conversation with Hot Press. Her chat with Stuart Clark in the current issue (on sale now) took in a wide range of topics, from her frustration with the safety of modern music TV programming to what make a good guest. She also discussed her affection for the late John Peel and the controversy surrounding her move from BBC Radio One to Radio Two.

Of the media accusations of sexism and ageism leveled at the BBC after her move in 2009, she says: “First of all, they didn’t get rid of me, I chose to move because of the type of show I wanted to be presenting. Secondly, Annie Nightingale is still broadcasting away on Radio One aged, gosh, 69 I think so they’re really not ageist. That said, Radio One is a youth station and as part of its evolvement you have to employ new DJs all the time. Otherwise it’d be a very staid and boring place.”

Whiley goes on to talk about how legendary DJ John Peel had mentored her during their time working together, and how he used her to introduce some eclectism to daytime radio.

“John looked out for me all the time and gave me such sage-like advice,” she concludes, “He also used me to infiltrate the daytime playlist with records he loved, but were considered a bit too leftfield for Radio One. I remember coming in one day to find he’d surrepticiously slipped a copy of the first White Stripes record onto my desk. I’ve never known a man so totally in love with music.

The Jo Whiley Music Show can be seen every Friday at 10pm on Sky Arts, with regular repeats during the week.

Pick up the latest issue of Hot Press to read more, and get Whiley's opinions on Bono slagging Chris Martin, why Britney and Justin are poor interviewees and why she'd never turn back time and marry a musician.