The iconic DJ wraps up her final BBC Radio 1 show after 17 years
(Picture: Getty Images)The love poured in for Annie Mac on Friday evening after the legendary DJ took to the air for her last BBC Radio 1 show after 17 years. The 43-year-old joined the team as an assistant producer before hosting her own show in 2004. She announced her decision to leave the station back in April to spend more time with her family.
She opened her emotional finale by saying: “It’s been 17 years and tonight we celebrate.”
“Tonight is going to be hopefully a really, really fun and nostalgic and hopefully not too emo ride.
“I have got the waterproof mascara on, my hands are actually shaking.”
Ahead of her final Future Sounds show, the DJ took to Instagram with a throwback photo of herself when she started out in the industry. She captioned the image: “It’s been a wild and thrilling ride. Thank you so much for allowing this excitable Dublin girl to play you music for 17 years - we go again one more time tonight. Xxx”
Emotional fans and friends of Annie flocked to Twitter to mark the ‘end of an era’. The overwhelming love for the DJ prompted her to trend for hours with the likes of Nick Grimshaw, Scott Mills, Fatboy Slim, Danny Howard and Pete Tong, among the hundreds of tweets.
this is how much you mean to us all @anniemacmanus ❤️
— BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) July 30, 2021
thank you thank you thank you pic.twitter.com/RTOq7wdzBT
not me crying to High Contrast @anniemacmanus @BBCR1 LETS DO THIS GUYS!!!! THE LAST FRIDAY WITH ANNIE! 💕💕💕💕💕💕
— nick grimshaw (@grimmers) July 30, 2021
ANNIE MAC LEAVING PARTY 🎉 @BBCR1 @anniemacmanus - will miss you x pic.twitter.com/MbK4I8keqX
— Ryan Benson (@ryandbenson) July 30, 2021
Feeling emotional listening to @anniemacmanus Annie you’re the BEST ❤️ get @BBCR1 on NOW
— Scott Mills (@scott_mills) July 30, 2021
@BBCR1 when we saw you at warehouse project back in 2017, our friend was so trollied that straight after your set he turned to me and said “so when is Annie Mac on?” We laughed at it so much afterwards that we made it into a t shirt pic.twitter.com/s3i9wm2sG5
— Philip (@Ph1lj) July 30, 2021
Everyone listen to @anniemacmanus on @BBCR1 right now!!! Legendary business and end of an era 😢💔
— Danny Howard (@dannyhowarddj) July 30, 2021
Having the usual Friday night kitchen rave to Annie Mac, absolutely gutted its her last ever @BBCR1 show 😭😭 What an absolute legend, kept me going many friday evenings whilst working late. @anniemacmanus pic.twitter.com/kVNX3ilL4A
— Ben Martin (@bencm305) July 30, 2021
If you aren’t listening to Annie Mac’s last show you are doing it all wrong
— Charlotte Haley (@charhaley) July 30, 2021
Thanks again @anniemacmanus for impeccable service to the rave, we’ll miss having you on our airwaves but we’ll follow your ventures wherever they lead us X pic.twitter.com/Kg85Iove8l
— Fatboy Slim (@FatboySlim) July 30, 2021
End of an era tonight on Radio 1. Annie Mac has soundtracked Friday nights for as long as I can remember and is quite simply the definitive dance music broadcaster. She’ll be sorely missed! 🙏
— Ben Malone (@BenMaloneDJ) July 30, 2021
national annie mac week
— toddlat (@TODDLAT) July 26, 2021
So unbelievably sad Annie Mac is leaving @BBCR1 an absolute icon within the dance music community and inspiration to so many! Tuning in tonight for her last ever show 😥 Thank you so much for all the amazing music over the past 17 years 🙌🏼👑 @anniemacmanus #anniemac pic.twitter.com/HUBdziUUgb
— 𝙻𝚎𝚠𝚒𝚜 (@BPM_Therapy) July 30, 2021
the love for annie mac on the timeline rn is incredible, i’m here for all of it
— Alaina 🌈🐝 (@alaina1975) July 30, 2021
Speaking to the Radio Times about her departure, she said: “I feel annoyed being grateful that we have a female breakfast show presenter on Radio 2 [Zoe Ball] or 6 Music [Lauren Laverne].”
“We shouldn’t be grateful. It should be a given, not an anomaly.”
Annie said that she was always “very encouraged” by Radio 1 and “the commitment they have to women.”
Clara Amfo will be taking Annie’s place on the show, which Annie says was “the most sensible and inspired choice”.
