Mark & Lard clips

Sometimes shows work at some times of day and not at others. John Peel on breakfast might have ended his career prematurely. That is not to say the presenters are to blame, it’s just about picking the right talent and the right format for the right daypart and the right audience. Breakfast is the toughest call of all: you need to be distinctive, but not too distinctive; and the appeal must be sufficiently broad. It’s a fine balance.

Mark and Lard (Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley joined Radio 1 from the old Radio 5 in 1993. They jumped from lates to breakfast in February 1997. The programme was to last just 8 months – the shortest spell for any ‘permanent’ act on that prime show.