Radio 2 DJ Jo Whiley shared a picture of her and an otherwise male dominant line-up of her BBC colleagues just hours after the news that her co-host Simon Mayo was stepping down. Mayo will become the latest high-profile departure from BBC Radio 2 as he leaves his Drivetime show five months after he was forced to work alongside Jo. Listeners reacted with sadness and anger today as the popular DJ, who previously claimed he was unhappy at sharing the show, announced he was leaving. Jo Whiley appeared to poke fun at the amount of female presenters in her post which was made shortly before it was announced that Simon Mayo was stepping down In May this year, Jo became a co-host of Mayo-'s previous one-man afternoon show and it was extended to 8pm in the evening. Her appointment to Drivetime came after Radio 2 was criticised for its lack of female presenters. Jo posted a photo on Instagram this morning of her in an otherwise very male line-up shortly before the announcement that Mayo was stepping down. In it she appeared to be having a jibe about the amount of women presenters working on BBC radio. She said: 'This pic was taken the first time I started out in radio & was working for Radio 4. How times have changed... ' Then this afternoon, Jo took to Twitter again to say: 'I'm incredibly sad that Simon has decided to leave Radio 2. He's a brilliant broadcaster, a great friend and I really will miss working with him. 'However, I'm very much looking forward to hosting a new show for a new year which will have music at the very heart of it as well as guests and live sessions. Dream show, actually. Can't wait!' Many of Mayo's army of loyal listeners hit out at the BBC, saying the format should never have been changed. Jo Whiley became co-host of the Drivetime show just eight months ago Listeners reacted with sadness and anger today as the popular DJ, who previously claimed he was unhappy at sharing the show, announced he was leaving Listeners praised Mayo today and accused the BBC of ruining his original, one-man,format It was previously claimed that Mayo, who has been appearing in the 5-7pm slot for eight years and was plotting a move to Smooth Radio. Earlier this month, a source told The Sun: 'He was an incredibly successful broadcaster with huge ratings who was essentially forced into having a female co-host in Jo because it helped with a gender imbalance.' But Mayo praised co-host Jo Whiley following his announcement today, paying tribute to his co-host as 'a warm-hearted and loyal friend'. It comes after breakfast show host Chris Evans left the station to join Virgin Radio, and Radio 4 veteran Eddie Mair moved to LBC amid increased scrutiny of BBC radio presenters' salaries. A BBC insider told MailOnline today that Mayo was not following Evans or Mair's example. The source insisted: 'Simon Mayo is not going to a rival station.' Whiley will be moved to the 7pm to 9pm slot, meaning the station will appoint a new Drivetime host. Mayo pictured in 1992. He started working for the BBC Radio Nottingham in the 1980s before moving to Radio One Mayo was the BBC's 14th highest-paid presenter in this year's publication of staff salaries. He was paid up to £350,000 in 2017/18, although that wage includes his work for Radio Five Live. Whiley was paid less than £180,000 for her work at the corporation, although she was not co-hosting the Drivetime show during that time. Mayo previously criticised the decision to publish stars' salaries, saying: 'My worry is that it will become like a yearly turkey shoot and I think it's often used as a stick to hit the BBC with.' Mayo praised Whiley in a series of tweets today, writing: 'I've loved working with the exceptional Jo Whiley and when the show was "reconfigured" she was my first and only choice. 'Some of the abuse she (Whiley) has had here [on Twitter] has been appalling. Support for a show is one thing, assaulting the dignity of a warm-hearted and loyal friend is another.' The 60-year had announced his decision by tweeting: 'Very sadly, I have decided to move on from Radio 2. Sad to leave the show, sad to leave Jo, sad to leave Wogan House (I thought I'd be dragged out aged 120). But circumstances change...' Mayo announced the developments to fans in a series of tweets this morning Mayo's move is the latest switch by a series of high-paid BBC men Simon Mayo's departure BBC Radio 2 after 17 years is the latest in a string of exits and changes across the BBC's radio schedules this year. Presenter Chris Evans announced in September that he was quitting Radio 2 and his breakfast show after 13 years, and that he is returning to Virgin Radio. Zoe Ball (pictured) will take over his show. Another of the corporation's flagship radio shows - Radio 1's breakfast show - also recently underwent an overhaul as Greg James took over from Nick Grimshaw in August. Grimshaw, who presented the Radio 1 Breakfast Show for six years, has remained with the station in the drivetime slot in a job swap with James. Eddie Mair, the presenter of Radio 4's PM programme, left the BBC in August to join commercial station LBC. Like Evans, he insisted he did not leave because of 'pay problems'. Newsnight's Evan Davis will replace him. Radio 1's Charlie Sloth announced at the weekend that he has left the station earlier than expected, following an outburst on stage at an awards ceremony last week. Advertisement He said he has signed a new book deal and was working on filming projects. Mayo continued: 'I'm as surprised at this turn of events as you. But at my grand old age to be setting off on these brand new trails is enormous fun. And all the more so for being so unexpected. There are, however, only so many hours in a day.<doc-sep>One other thing. Maybe it needs to be said, maybe not but so there is no room for argument I’ll be clear. I’ve loved working with the exceptional Jo Whiley and when the show was ‘reconfigured ‘ she was my first and only choice.<doc-sep>Simon Mayo is to leave BBC Radio 2 after a backlash from listeners over his pairing with Jo Whiley. The DJ today announced he would depart to spend more time writing novels, after a troubled few months for the drivetime show. BBC bosses decided earlier this year that Whiley would share presenting duties, in part to address concern over a lack of female voices on the airwaves. But listeners soon complained at a lack of chemistry between the new pairing. An online petition called "Bring back Simon Mayo and the dream team" gathered more than 10,000 signatures. The presenter himself admitted that the upheaval had been “difficult and upsetting”. Within weeks of the relaunch the BBC was forced to issue a response, asking fans to let the show "settle" and to "give it a chance". Radio 2 controller Lewis Carnie pledged changes, insisting “no show ends up where it starts”. But listeners were not reassured, and the complaints kept coming. A source close to the show conceded on Monday that there had been “difficulties”, but played down reports of a rift between the co-hosts, who have been friends for 25 years. Announcing his departure earlier, Mayo defended Whiley against “appalling abuse” directed at her on social media.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Simon will not be quitting his BBC Radio 5 Live show in light of this. The veteran broadcaster has hosted the show since 2010 and has been a face of the station for years. Simon Mayo has stepped down from his role as the drive-time presenter on BBC Radio 2. FULL STATEMENT "So. A few things to say. Very sadly, I have decided to move on from Radio 2. Sad to leave the show, sad to leave Jo, sad to leave Wogan House (I thought I’d be dragged out aged 120). But circumstances change... "Juggling my writing and radio has become increasingly tricky (a nice problem to have). I’ve just signed a new 2 book deal with the nice folk at Transworld and they’ll be expecting something half decent before too long. "On top of that my Itch books are about to be filmed for television in Australia and the work turning Mad Blood Stirring into a movie continues apace. "I know, I know, I’m as surprised at this turn of events as you. But at my grand old age to be setting off on these brand new trails is enormous fun. And all the more so for being so unexpected.There are, however, only so many hours in a day. "I’ll continue with the (flagship) film show on 5Live with Mark Kermode and, beyond that, other radio adventures beckon! But for now it’s just the sadness of leaving. Radio 2 has been a wonderful place for me-my happiest radio I think. Our listeners are really quite extraordinary. "One other thing. Maybe it needs to be said, maybe not but so there is no room for argument I’ll be clear. I’ve loved working with the exceptional Jo Whiley and when the show was ‘reconfigured ‘ she was my first and only choice. "Some of the abuse she has had here has been appalling. Support for a show is one thing, assaulting the dignity of a warm-hearted and loyal friend is another. "So by all means discuss what’s happening here, but let’s keep some civility. Thank you. Here endeth the lesson. And (one very final thing), as anyone who has worked here will attest, the producers and APs are a class apart. Brilliant production teams make our jobs a joy. "Thanks to each and every one. Onwards." More to follow...<doc-sep>
Simon Mayo and Jo Whiley are to leave the BBC Radio 2 Drivetime show, as part of a shake-up at the UK’s most popular radio station. Mayo has hosted the show since 2010, but tensions are thought to have arisen after the addition of Whiley as a co-presenter for the 5pm-8pm slot in May, which prompted a backlash from listeners. Whiley will remain with the station but move to a 7pm-9pm slot from January, meaning Radio 2 requires a new team of Drivetime presenters. Whiley was the only female presenter on the Radio 2 daytime schedule, and the station will come under pressure to appoint another woman to the role, with Sara Cox likely to be considered. Mayo will continue to work with the BBC – including the 5 Live film show he co-presents with Mark Kermode – but said he would instead concentrate on his two-book deal with the publisher Transworld. “Radio 2 has been a quite wonderful experience – my happiest in radio I think – but new adventures beckon and I cannot wait to get started,” said Mayo. He later tweeted: “Maybe it needs to be said, maybe not but so there is no room for argument I’ll be clear. I’ve loved working with the exceptional Jo Whiley and when the show was ‘reconfigured’ she was my first and only choice. Some of the abuse she has had here has been appalling. Support for a show is one thing, assaulting the dignity of a warmhearted and loyal friend is another.” Whiley said Mayo was a “great friend” and said of her move to an evening slot: “I’m very much looking forward to hosting a new show for a new year which will have music at the very heart of it as well as guests and live sessions. Dream show, actually. Can’t wait!” The station’s Breakfast show host, Chris Evans, was poached by Virgin Radio this year. He will be replaced by Zoë Ball. Mayo has written a trilogy of children’s novels and the first one, Itch, is to be adapted by ABC Television in Australia later this year. Before joining Radio 2 he hosted a daily show on 5 Live between 2001 and 2009, having previously been a Radio 1 Breakfast show host.