Top radio presenters and DJs: in pictures

Annie Mac, Radio 1, 9pm-11pm, Fridays: 'Some songs seem to completely unite the listeners – most recently a Skream remix of La Roux’s song In For The Kill. It’s crazy to think of people, from office workers online in Canada to kids in car parks in Wales, all listening intently and loving the same song. The worst is when your words don’t come out right. I was doing the breakfast shift once and called David Cameron the leader of the Conservatory party. Scott Mills rinsed me for that' Photograph: James Mollison

Adam & Joe, 6 Music, 9am-12 noon, Saturdays: Adam: 'You realise that "being yourself" is often being a prat' Photograph: James Mollison

Annie Nightingale, Radio 1, 5am-7am, Saturdays: 'Best thing? Knowing the music you play and what you say about it can go all over the world' Photograph: James Mollison

Chris Moyles, Radio 1, 6.30am-10am, weekdays: The self-styled 'saviour of Radio 1', his breakfast show reaches an audience of 7.3 million. Famous for offensive comments on air, including calling Victoria Beckham a whore, mocking Will Young for being gay, and making jokes about Auschwitz. 'Best thing about being on the radio? The listeners. Worst thing? When the alarm goes off at 5.15' Photograph: James Mollison

Chris Tarrant, 102.2 Smooth FM, 10am-1pm, Saturdays: 'After many years on television and many years on radio, radio still remains the best fun. I love the fact that I could have a good idea coming up the A3 and do it on air before half past six. Some of them were good ideas, some were diabolical. I suppose the downtimes are when, in among the silliness and stories about Freddie Starr eating a hamster, you have to report that King’s Cross station is on fire, or – as no one who was on radio that week will ever forget – overnight in Paris Princess Diana has died' Photograph: James Mollison

Christian O’Connell, Absolute, 6am-10am, weekdays: 'Talking about things that move you and your audience is what gets you up at 4.12am' Photograph: James Mollison

DJ Spoony, 5 Live, 606 football phone-in: One of the Dreem Teem credited with bringing garage to Radio 1 in the 90s. He got an exclusive interview with David Beckham in Madrid just before his England recall Photograph: James Mollison

Dermot O'Leary, Radio 2, 2pm-5pm, Saturdays: O'Leary's show is famous for the Saturday Sessions, where big-name musicians do live covers in the studio; Willy Mason singing George Michael's Careless Whispers is a classic Photograph: James Mollison

Ed Stourton, Today programme, Radio 4, weekdays 6am-9am, Saturdays 7am-9am: 'It’s great that you have permission to be scruffy and focus entirely on the words' Photograph: James Mollison

Evan Davis, Today programme, Radio 4, weekdays 6am-9am, Saturdays 7am-9am: loves that 'you can look things up on Wikipedia while on air. The worst thing? No one can see you express yourself by gesticulating with your arms' Photograph: James Mollison

George Lamb, 6 Music, 10am-1pm, weekdays: A controversialist renowned for rescuing a young Lily Allen in Ibiza and becoming her manager Photograph: James Mollison

James Naughtie, Today programme, Radio 4, weekdays 6am-9am, Saturdays 7am-9am: 'The bad aspect is not, as people think, getting up very early (2.59am). But the aftermath. With adrenaline pumping, caffeine surging, what do you do to work it off?' Photograph: James Mollison

Jamie Theakston and Harriet Scott, Heart 106.2, 6am-9am, weekdays: Harriet: 'You want to perk people up. We have so much fun, it’s infectious' Photograph: James Mollison

John Humphrys, Today programme, Radio 4, weekdays 6am-9am, Saturdays 7am-9am: 'I’ve been doing it now for 42 years and I can’t think what the worst aspect might be. Getting up in the middle of the night isn’t exactly fun, but it means you always have an excuse if you’re invited somewhere you don’t want to go. Still, early days – I’ll probably discover the drawbacks eventually' Photograph: James Mollison

Jane Garvey, Radio 4, Woman’s Hour, 10am-11am weekdays, 4pm-5pm Saturdays: Was the first voice heard on Radio 5 Live when it launched in 1994; in 1997 survived the Southall rail crash and won praise for her on-the-spot reporting Photograph: James Mollison

Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon, 95.8 Capital FM, 6-10am, weekdays: Johnny: 'Two people on a bus texted us to say the driver had to pull over because he was laughing so much [at the show]. You never get that on telly. And there are no cameras, so you always look great. The only bad thing is the hours' Photograph: James Mollison

Jonathan Ross, Radio 2, 10am-1pm, Saturdays: 'The best thing about radio is the freedom to communicate without worrying about getting a response from an audience. When I do my talkshow with a studio audience, I’ve got a heightened awareness of people watching at home, whereas in radio it’s much more personal – you almost do it for yourself. The worst thing is that sometimes when you’re doing it for yourself – or those in the room with you – you can forget that others are listening in. And it can get one into a little bit of bother…' Photograph: James Mollison

Myleene Klass, Classic FM, 7am-9am, weekends: A trained pianist; has attracted a younger audience Photograph: James Mollison

Nicky Campbell, Radio 5 Live, 6-10am, weekdays: A Radio 5 Live fixture for 11 years, he presents the early morning show with Shelagh Fogarty and the phone-in that follows. 'The best thing about being a radio presenter is the unshaven pursuit of the unexpected. And the worst thing? Going round the rest of the day thinking, "If only I’d asked that question..."' Photograph: James Mollison

Nihal, Radio 1, 1pm-4pm, weekends: Won a Sony Gold Award for his show Asian Beats in 2003 Photograph: James Mollison

Rob Cowan, Radio 3, 7am, weekdays: 'My best moment on radio was the closing programme of The Beethoven Experience in 2005, when Radio 3 cleared its schedules for five days to broadcast every note written by Beethoven – incredibly moving' Photograph: James Mollison

Sara Mohr-Pietsch, Radio 3, 7am, weekdays: 'People let the radio into the most personal parts of their lives. I might be sitting next to someone in the car on the school run, or perched in their kitchen while they make toast. It's a huge priviledge to feel invited into other people's morning routines like that. The flip-side of radio's intimacy is that people put enormous trust in presenters. If someone says something you don't like while you're buttering toast in your nightie, it's easy to take it very personally. I'm a perfectionist. If a show doesn't go brilliantly, I feel I've let the listeners down' Photograph: James Mollison

Sarah Montague, Today programme, Radio 4, weekdays 6am-9am, Saturdays 7am-9am: 'The worst thing is getting dressed in the dark' Photograph: James Mollison

Shelagh Fogarty, Radio 5 Live, 6am, weekdays: 'I used to deny that I talked a lot but as it turns out talking is my thing. There's nothing I like more than just wasting some time talking. As jobs go it doesn't get better' Photograph: James Mollison

Simon Mayo, Radio 5 Live, 1pm-4pm, weekdays: Once got Earl Spencer to reveal Prince Charles had never visited Diana’s grave Photograph: James Mollison

Trevor Nelson, Radio 1, 7pm-9pm, Saturdays: 'The best thing about my job is the anonymity. Everyone knows your voice and not you face it allows you to go about your daily business unrecognized – and you never know who’s secretly listening' Photograph: James Mollison

Zane Lowe, Radio 1, 7pm-9pm, Monday to Thursday: 'I really feel like music sounds better on radio' Photograph: James Mollison