Inside the Breakfast Show: What Really Happens Between 6 and 10am
Most people only hear what comes out of the speakers between 6 and 10 in the morning, but there’s a whole lot more to the Atom Radio Breakfast Show than the music and the chatter. The music you’re playing can be heard on Spotify so it’s about what happens between the tunes and that’s what sets you out from Spotify or Apple Music or whatever service you chose. Breakfast radio is a world of alarm clocks that feel like they go off in the middle of the night, gallons of tea (most presenters probably go for coffee), and the pure joy of knowing you get to start someone else’s day on a good note.
The reality of a 4-something alarm clock
The first thing you learn about doing a breakfast show is that your body never really gets used to waking up that early. I was told by my first Programme Controller that a lot of presenters burn out after 6 months of the alarm needed for a breakfast show! The alarm goes off while most people are enjoying their deep sleep cycle. It’s dark, it’s quiet, and in the winter it’s cold, and the temptation to hit snooze is strong. I have 5 alarms set and on the second alarm my smart home turns on the bedroom light at 100% and plays the radio but the reality is I’m usually up between the first alarm and the second in time to turn off all the rest. There’s something about knowing you’ve got an audience waiting and anthems to play that gets you up. Breakfast radio is a strange kind of adrenaline hit.
Prepping the show
People sometimes ask if it’s just a case of “turning up and talking.” The truth is, there’s loads of prep before you even open the mic. Music is generally taken care of by the software based on format and rules to make sure it’s right for a Monday morning slump or a Friday morning buzz but I admit to making changes here and there! Prep starts the night before when I’ll scan through the latest news, quirks, and stories that will spark a smile or a conversation. Things like on this day, celeb birthdays and national days can all be prepped the night before. I like to go to bed with a plan formulated for the morning but I know things can and do change overnight. In the morning I’ll have another scan of what’s happening. The main part of the show, between 7 and 9, there’s a question of the day and if that’s not right then the show would flop. The question can’t be too taxing, it has to be fun and it has to be something that people can and want to get involved in. It has to be fun for those getting involved and also for those not sending repsonses but still listening while they have breakfast or drive to work. And of course, I’ll look at the little local stories that make people in Slough, Windsor, or Maidenhead feel like they’re being spoken to directly.
The main thing to remember is that radio has to be flexible. There are some periods where thoughts will pop into my head for the daily question and I’ll put them in notes for my phone. I know however that something current or topical may pop up and my intended topic may get pushed back to another day. You also always have to remain flexible and alert to the fact that a major news item may end up changing the whole mood and the whole show.
The magic of radio
Once the red light comes on and the mic is live, it’s a balancing act of music, links, and making sure the show flows. Radio is about juggling time, having things to say, making sure there’s time to say them and making sure it never takes too long to say them. Some mornings everything goes to plan. Other mornings there’s tech gremlins appear, or messages on the daily question take it to an area you weren’t expecting. Occasionally you’ll make a glaring mistake, I’m human after all, but the art there is to never dwell, just move on and continue the show without letting that mistake affect the rest of the show. The fun part — two shows are never the same. A different topic of conversation, a different set of listeners messaging and different times to fill in each hour in each day.
The studio reality
Yes, there’s tea, in fact you won’t find me without my 1.2 litre travel cup that’s filled with tea before the show starts. I can’t eat breakfast that early so sometimes there might be a jaffa cake box for sustinence or occasionally a McDonalds breakfast grabbed on the way in. And yes, there’s plenty of moments where I’m talking to a microphone and hoping someone out there is laughing along, enjoying what we’re doing or that something I said resonates with someone listening. The studio may be quiet, but in my head I’m picturing the school run, the commute, the joggers with headphones in — the people who make this early morning madness worthwhile.
The most important thing is, if it’s not serious don’t make it serious. Have fun! It’s not everybody’s favourite time of day, sleep being distubed by an alarm clock, a job to go to, a school run to prepare for, so it’s about making it as much fun as possible.
Why I love it
Breakfast is the show that sets the tone for the day. If I can make someone smile before 8am, if I can play a track that makes someone sing in their car, then it’s worth every early alarm. There’s something unique about being part of people’s daily routines, and I wouldn’t swap it for anything.
So the next time you tune in to Atom Radio at 6am, just know that behind the microphone there’s a man powered by tea, loving every minute of being able to kickstart your day, and so I’m told, over the top on a Friday!
You can listen to Atom Radio via the Free App or iPhone and Andriod which you can get from http://atomradio.co.uk/listen/. You can find out more about the show and catch up with the last week’s shows at http://atomradio.co.uk/shows/mark-denholm-at-breakfast/
