STARTING the biggest job of your life is nerve wracking as it is, but Jordan North had a Benidorm-shaped mountain to climb before taking the helm of Capital’s Breakfast Show yesterday.
He spent last week shepherding 30 blokes around the Spanish resort during his brother’s stag do before making his debut on the show to almost eight million listeners.
“I’ve been burning the candle at both ends,” Jordan said, after inviting me into the studio in London’s Leicester Square on his first day.
“I’m the best man. There were no s**t tattoos, we were on our best behaviour. I’m stag-do’d out now.”
If he was feeling overwhelmed about his much- talked-about move, Jordan certainly didn’t show it.
Driving the desk alongside co-presenters and old friends Chris Stark and Sian Welby, he looked more than at home.
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Even heading outside the building to put on a spectacular Greatest Showman-style show with a brass band didn’t seem to faze Jordan, who, with Sian and Chris, got a standing ovation from the Capital team as they came off air.
Jordan joked: “The new kid is dressed up as Hugh Jackman saying, ‘This is the greatest show’, and I was thinking, ‘What is Nick Ferarri on LBC going to think of this?’
“The hardest thing was changing into that outfit. Those trousers were really tight.
“The band went for it. Like Sian said on air, ‘I’ve got a trombone right in my face’. It’s something I never thought I’d hear on the radio.”
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Jordan’s fans from Radio 1 might have thought they would never hear him on a different station.
After a decade at the BBC, last month it was announced he was leaving the Drive Time show with Vick Hope after four years.
In a state of shock, I messaged Jordan, who told me he “couldn’t say much”.
When I later found out he was going to Capital I was thrilled for him. The move is, undeniably, massive and will only help his star rise even higher.
“I wasn’t looking to leave but then this opportunity came up and you don’t turn Capital down,” Jordan admitted.
“I know that sounds corny but it’s a massive breakfast show. I told three people, because I had to keep it quiet, and they all said, ‘Go for it’.”
With huge guests lined up in the coming days, including Perrie Edwards, and Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard not far off, Jordan is in for a wild ride.
And while he didn’t get an official on-air goodbye at R1, much to the dismay of his loyal listeners, Jordan still has close ties to the Beeb.
He added: “I have loads of good friends there. When I rang Vick she was great. They all texted me before the first show.
“Greg James said good luck. They pit us as rivals but really we’re all mates.”
Vick is well versed with Capital, after hosting the Breakfast Show alongside Roman Kemp for three years until 2020, and she had some good advice for Jordan to help with the early starts.
Jordan said: “She told me to get a natural light machine, which helps wake you up.”
Now a lark, whether he likes it or not, Jordan’s alarm goes off at 4am and he is on air from 6am until 10am every weekday.
The early start means he’s bidden farewell to his beloved pints of Guinness — though he did get a cake styled on the black stuff — while he gets into the swing of things.
Jordan said: “This Sunday was the first time I’d not been out in years. I’m staying sober.”
Jordan is in direct competition with Greg’s Radio 1 slot. But ever the gent, Jordan said there will only ever be friendship there.
“The most important thing is, if Radio 1 are sounding good and we’re sounding good, then that is good for radio,” he told me. He added: “Come and listen to us and see what you think.”
I have no doubt people will, in their droves.
BILLIE SINGLE MINDED ON LP
BILLIE EILISH has announced she is to release her third album, titled Hit Me Hard And Soft.
But you will have to wait until its release on May 17 to hear any of it because she has said she won’t be putting out singles.
In an Instagram post yesterday she said: “So crazy to be writing this right now, I’m nervy and excited.
“Not doing singles, I wanna give it to you all at once.”
Refer-ring to her brother and songwriting partner, the American added: “Finneas and I could not be more proud of this album and we absolutely can’t wait for you to hear it.”
Megan’s passing interest
MEGAN THEE Stallion reminds me of girls I went to school with who’d wear anything to get out of doing PE.
The singer watched the LA Lakers get beaten by the Minnesota Timberwolves over the weekend in this outfit.
I’m amazed the players didn’t end up doing a double dribble . . .
Fans here will soon be able to catch her in action when her Hot Girl Summer tour comes across the pond.
Meg will go on a quick jaunt across the country and Ireland, starting in Glasgow on July 4.
I’m sure her outfit choices for the gigs will be just as eye-catching as this one.
The Lourdes of karaoke
MY pal sent me this snap of Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon getting Into The Groove on the karaoke.
It seems the budding pop star, who is following in her famous mum’s footsteps having already released two singles, takes the chance to grab the microphone whenever she can.
She was spotted by my friend singing in Monster Bar in New York’s West Village over the weekend.
While they were too squiffy to remember exactly what she was singing, they told me that Lourdes’ vocals were second to none.
With Madge as a mentor, I don’t doubt it.
Talented Lourdes dropped her first solo single, Lock&Key, two years ago under her stage name Lolahol, and released a follow-up, Spelling, last October.
Paying a poignant tribute to Madonna – whose career is still going strong at 65 – she said: “I would be nothing without the woman who brought me into the world. I revere her.”
You certainly know how to Express Yourself, Lourdes . . .
GLASSES HALF FULL FOR KATE
KATE WINSLET may be losing her eyesight but she’s still looking forward to turning the big Five-O.
She told the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio yesterday: “I’m going blind in my old age and I’ll be 50 next year.”
Kate added: “I want to talk about birthday plans because actually I’ve been thinking of some.
“I don’t want any presents. Here’s my thing. I want to do 50 incredible things for 50, but they have to be made up of acts of kindness, physical feats and probably something like trying foods I’ve never tried before.
“I’d like something like that. We don’t need to keep being given presents, do we?”
My present to you would be a voucher for Specsavers, Kate.
I LOVE a good blast from the past and Scooter have come through with the goods.
The Nineties techno group are doing live shows to celebrate their three decades in music.
The Thirty, Rough And Dirty tour, which sums up my 30s, will start in Aberdeen on October 30 and see the group take in seven more dates across the UK and Ireland including Dublin, Newcastle, Manchester, London and Cardiff.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow. Look out for me at the London date.
LIBS LEAD IN RACE FOR No1
THE LIBERTINES, fronted by Pete Doherty, are on course to top the charts this Friday for the first time in 20 years.
Their fourth album, All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade, is in the lead according to data from the Official Charts.
A No1 would make it their first chart topper since their self-titled 2004 record and would knock Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter off the top spot.
One of the fastest growing bands in the country, The K’S, are just behind with their debut album I Wonder If The World Knows?.
EURO GOING TO LOVE THIS
THERE’S just a month to go until the madness that is Eurovision hits our screens – and we’ve just had our first glimpse at how bonkers this year’s contest will be.
On Sunday evening 23 of the contenders performed at the London Eurovision Party, where the frontrunner, Croatian rock star Baby Lasagna, revealed he has been bombarded with nude snaps since his viral song Rim Tim Tagi Dim came out.
In an exclusive chat at the event hosted at Here @ Outernet, he said: “At first they were sending me nudes.
“Now they just send cute gifts like cat pictures. But I’m afraid of opening my messages.”
UK entry Olly Alexander performed, as did Finland duo Windows 95 Man, one of the most wonderfully wacky acts in the contest’s history thanks to their song No Rules!.
The pair have become known for their love of denim, particularly the frontman’s very short hotpants, which he proudly posed in with Associate Biz Ed Howell Davies.
Ireland haven’t qualified for the final for six years but there are high hopes this time around with quirky singer Bambie thug, who dressed as a condom wrapper and handed out free contraceptives before the show, of course.
Bambie said: “My fantastic stylist said, ‘You must wear this condom’, and I said, ‘I shall wear the condom’.”
More seriously, they added: “Before Christmas I wanted to go home and nurture some Irish support and now they love me in my country, which is crazy because they didn’t know who I was.
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“There’s lots of incredible things happening. Obviously Eurovision and then I’m opening the main stage at Download in the summer.”
I don’t think many Eurovision artists can claim to have also played at the country’s biggest rock festival, so hats off to Bambie.
