´óÏó´«Ã½

´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2 today announces that Simon Mayo will be the new Drivetime presenter from January 2010, taking over from Chris Evans, who moves to present the Radio 2 Breakfast show.

Simon will continue to present an expanded film programme with Mark Kermode on Friday afternoons on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 5 Live.

Simon joined ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 1 in 1986, progressing to the Breakfast Show in 1988, taking over from Mike Smith.

Simon enjoyed five years on Breakfast, moving to present the Radio 1 mid-morning show from 1994 to 2001 whilst becoming a regular fixture presenting ´óÏó´«Ã½ One's Top Of The Pops as well as hosting the now legendary Radio 1 Roadshows.

Simon also hosted the Album Chart Show until 2007 on Radio 2. For a year from April 2007, Simon also hosted the Radio 2 Music Club.

Simon joined Radio 5 Live in May 2001 hosting the weekday 1.00-4.00pm show, effortlessly combining an eclectic mix of live news and sport, culture and politics and keynote celebrity interviews.

The show features the hugely popular weekly film review with Mark Kermode every Friday afternoon which is downloaded by around 100,000 people a week.

Simon is a regular part of Radio 5 Live's Wimbledon coverage and has taken his film review show out on the road this year in front of a live audience.

Simon gained plaudits for his handling of the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York in September 2001 which happened while he was on air.

During his career Simon has won a clutch of awards, including a Sony Gold Award in 2009 with Mark Kermode for the 5 Live film review, and he was honoured with the Speech Broadcaster of the Year Award at the 2008 Sony Radio Awards for his Radio 5 Live show as well as the Broadcasting Press Guild's Radio Broadcaster of the Year in the same year.

Bob Shennan, Controller of Radio 2 and 6 Music, said: "I'm delighted to welcome Simon as a permanent fixture on the network. Simon's range as an entertainment broadcaster is broad and rich, making him the perfect host of Radio 2's Drivetime programme."

Adrian Van-Klaveren, Controller of Radio 5 Live, writing on www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/5live, said: "Simon's programme has been one of 5 Live's greatest successes over the last nine years, steadily building a reputation as a home of intelligent conversation and entertainment as well as the afternoon's news and sport.

"He's established himself as one of the very best radio interviewers – a tribute to his skills at asking the right questions and his always immaculate preparation and research.

"I'm delighted that he won't be leaving 5 Live and will continue to present an even bigger version of the successful Mayo and Kermode film show.

Simon Mayo said: "It's a fantastic thrill to be given one of the iconic Radio 2 shows like Drivetime, succeeding greats like John Dunn, Johnnie Walker and Chris Evans. It's like winning the double to be able to continue with Mark to present on Fridays on Radio 5 Live."

SH (Radio 2) / AB (5 Live)