Sheffield journalism students react to ‘frustrating’ celebrity radio hires in online video

Two University of Sheffield journalism students have joined reaction to “frustrating” celebrity radio hires in a video on TikTok.

The post followed BBC Radio 1’s announcement that Made in Chelsea star Sophie Habboo would join fellow former reality TV personality and husband Jamie Laing on the Going Home drivetime show as a maternity cover.

While some social media users praised the appointment as great news, others called it “tone deaf” and said “let someone up-and-coming have a go”.

The latter was a view shared by third year Sheffield students Emily Taylor and Marianne Hamilton, who said it was “deflating” and it should be an opportunity to bring in “new voices and young talent”.

In the video, which has received 285,000 views, the pair also clarified they thought Habboo was “great on her podcast” (NearlyParents, co-hosted with Laing) and that “she got the opportunity and took it – fair enough”.

Emily, 21, told The Sheffield Tab the point stems back to a wider issues: “You can still get the same amount of charisma and attraction to your show with a well trained journalist who may not have their own podcast, who may not have been on a reality TV show but can still get the same amount of listeners and have the same success – if not more so.”

@unglossedmag Our thoughts on Sophie Habboo joining her husband Jamie Laing on the BCC radio 1 drive time spot (from a journalists perspective!) 💌 #sophiehabboo #jamielaing #newlyweds #radio1 #bbcradio ♬ original sound – Unglossed magazine

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She added: “Even with press junkets now, you see a lot of influencers doing the interviews now rather than trained reporters and I think it’s just frustrating to see when you’ve gone through three years of uni and you know how actually difficult it is and how much work goes into it, just to see these influencers getting the job because they have more followers.

“What stood out to me the most is how many people don’t think you need training. And I think that’s why it resonates with people because they’re like ‘oh its fine just get the talent, the following, the branding on’ – rather than the actual trained people because they don’t see it as a role that needs training. But I think it definitely is.”

A similar discourse occurred following Jamie Laing’s own Radio 1 appointment last year, with one social media user saying the “ever-increasing pattern of reality stars getting creative jobs which professionals have trained for years to be good at is quite grim”.

Emily added that contrary to some initial comments on their video, they themselves were not vying for a radio job but noted fellow students and young journalists who are seeking opportunities.

“Some of the comments were saying that I was entitled and want the job – I don’t want the job, that’s not what I meant,” she said.

“We’re only just students, but we see insights into the industry and you see graduates that have gone before you. To think they’re out there trying to get those jobs and someone else is just taking them… I understand it, but it’s upsetting.”

Sophie Habboo will on the Going Home show on weekday afternoons until regular presenter Vick Hope returns from maternity leave following the birth of her child with husband, Calvin Harris.

Featured image from TikTok / Google Maps / Instagram