He’s hosted the Radio 1 Breaktfast Show for seven years, broadcasting to 4.1 million listeners every weekday morning.
And Greg James has revealed just how much his BBC bosses believed in his talents, with the relevation that his starting salary at the station, when he was just 21, was an impressive £80,000.
Greg has written about his career and finance as part of his new book, All the Best for the Future: Growing Up Without Growing Old.
The 39-year-old shared that when he was 21 he was offered two jobs, one at a local radio station for £18,000 and another job at the BBC for £80,000.
He accepted the BBC job, presenting his first show as host of the Early Breakfast Show the day after he graduated from the University of East Anglia in 2007.
Greg, who is now earning £425,000 a year as host of the Breakfast Show, told The Times: ‘I included that [in the book] more to say how lucky I felt and to compare the step up from regional to national.
Greg James has revealed just how much his BBC bosses believed in his talents, with the relevation that his starting salary at the station, when he was 21, was an impressive £80,000
‘I just couldn’t believe it — I had no idea of salaries then and they are lower now, but maybe there is ownership too.
‘As in, if you are going to print my salary, I’m going to tell you my first salary. If that’s the game, then fine.’
During the interview James defended the ‘imperfect’ BBC, stating that he respects what the broadcaster is trying to do in regards to keeping its talent’s personal opinions at bay in favour of an impartial view.
‘I massively respect the BBC and its mission — you can’t have 5,000 presenters spouting personal opinions all day,’ he mused.
‘Yes, it’s imperfect and will always be, but that’s because the BBC is a bunch of humans running a huge corporation.’
Greg’s new book is set to be released Thursday 25 September.
The memoir style non-fiction is mixed with self-help alongside some comical anecdotes and tales.
The entire book is meant to encourage adults to not grow up completely and to keep being silly, which is completely aligned to the radio host’s daily onair antics.
One example being this summer when he was named godfather to fellow Radio 1 presenters Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo’s baby after emerging victorious in Radio 1’s Giant Face Off.
One of the latest challenges from Radio 1 saw Team Greg and Team Jamie tasked with deciphering a series of clues leading them to different areas of the country.
The 39-year-old has shared that when he was 21 he was offered two jobs, one at a local radio station for £18,000 and another job at the BBC for £80,000
Once a location had been determined, the race was on to collect a flag with each opponent’s face on it – and most flags wins.
After a tense few days of sending their teams as far afield as Barry, Derry and even the Shetland Islands, as well as a literal race to the finish in Newcastle, Greg emerged victorious with 10 flags to Jamie’s nine.
But the challenge came with consequences, with Jamie was set to take over as host of Radio 1 Breakfast if he had won.
However he lost, and the Made In Chelsea star’s forfeit was that he had to name Greg as the godfather of the unborn baby he is due to welcome with wife Sophie.
