'It's all about the people' - Ed gets to meet listeners old and new ahead of BBC show
He may not have been born in Wolverhampton or anywhere near it but Ed James, credits the people of the city and the radio station that was based here for his 'love of radio.'
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And Ed should certainly know a thing or two about the Black Country and the wider West Midlands, having carved out an impressive 25 year career, first in Coventry and then Beacon Radio where he co-presented breakfast before joining Heart FM in 2002.
Now, having left Heart after spending nearly 23 years first on mornings then the other main show, drive, he will be fully 'going solo' when he takes over the mid morning slot on BBC Radio WM tomorrow (Tuesday).
The 49-year-old could write a book about his radio experiences and has appeared on television and hosted countless events off air, as well, becoming a much loved personality and a name ingrained with the West Midlands - the perfect person maybe to launch such an important show.
But he says it is 'all about the people,' it always has been for him and will be even more so with the new show.
He said: "It might be a cliche but a radio show or host is only as good as the people they are broadcasting to and my time on Beacon with Helen my co -host was, I think where I really fell in love with radio.
"The texts, the calls, the feedback, getting out to meet the people, it is very special because obviously it isn't or hasn't been traditionally a visual medium even though it is becoming more visual now.
"I was born in Wales and my first fully professional jobs were in Coventry and then Wolverhampton which has some very special people, many of whom when they listened to Beacon have followed me onto Heart and been at events I have hosted. Indeed some I have already invited into my new radio home."
Ed's run at Heart ended when they decided to broadcast a fully national drive time show as well as breakfast but he said 'the time is right' to make the move to the BBC and plan a new show which will be fully interactive and will talk about the things that matter to people in the region.
He said; "Maybe it is good timing, I am so excited about the new show and taking over from Kathryn (Stanczyszyn) who is a good friend and it will be big boots to fill as she has made the show her own and held big names to account.
"I will still be doing that in the hot seat sequence and holding people to account but there will be a lot of fun, plenty of music and this is probably now the only radio platform in the West Midlands that gives me the chance to do a show like this.
"Again, I had a wonderful time at Heart, mainly working as a duo and I'm not going to lie, there will be nerves before the new show, I think you need that in broadcasting to give it that immediate and authentic feel."
Ed and his producers have been planning the four hour Monday to Friday slot for three weeks since it was announced he was joining BBC Radio WM and have spent the last week on 'tour' of the West Midlands, visiting Dudley and Wolverhampton amongst others.
He laughs: "To call it a tour makes me sound like Ed Sheeran rather than Ed James but apart from the fun of meeting listeners old and new, it is a serious business because I want to find out what makes the people of Wolverhampton and the Black Country tick and what they are talking about.
"That is what the show will be about because again, any radio show is only as good as its listeners and I can't wait to get started and talk about the things that matter to them, good and bad and have some fun as well because there always has to be an element of that."
Ed James can be heard on BBC Radio WM 95.6 and BBC Sounds from tomorrow Monday to Friday from 10am-2pm.
