BBC Radio 1's Greg James baffles fans as he admits 'real name'

By Carly Duffy, Showbiz Editor

Jeremy Vine sees Greg James almost being hit by van

Greg James may be a household name following his long-standing career on BBC, but it seems "James" isn't his actual surname.

The Radio 1 Breakfast Show host has admitted, after 17 years on the airwaves, that his name isn't all it seems.

Speaking on Kathy Burke's Where There's A Will, There's A Wake podcast, he revealed that his name accidentally became a secret, though he didn't intend for it to be.

He told the host: "I'm writing a book. It's my first non-fiction adult book. It's gonna come out next year, and I was writing a chapter on my name.

"It's turned into a bit of a secret, but it's not a secret at all. In that Greg James is not my full name."

Greg James' real name isn't what it seems (Image: Getty)

The radio host told Kathy Burke that James is his middle name, but he started using it as a surname when working on student radio with the intention of becoming more appealing to Radio 1 bosses.

He explained that he looked at people like Sara Cox and Scott Mills and felt like his surname, Milward, was "like a headteacher's name".

However, he now wishes he had been even more imaginative with his name for the radio. Greg said he decided too late that he wanted to pick a different name, but had already been named in Radio Times.

Greg wishes he was able to change his radio name (Image: Getty)

The host added: "I don't mind it. It's an okay radio name, but, I should have been more imaginative.

Kathy reassured him and said the name has got that "bang bang", but it doesn't seem he's quite so convinced.

The radio host will be releasing his first book and is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his wife, Bella Mackie, who released fictional best-seller How to Kill Your Family.