Greg James reveals his ‘secret’ real name – 17 years after starting on BBC Radio 1

Greg James has revealed that his airwaves moniker isn’t actually his real name after being on air for 17 years.

The Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenter, 38, has admitted he actually chose his well-known surname shortly before being discovered by the BBC in 2007.

Greg revealed that his real name is Greg Milward and explained that James is actually his middle name which he chose as his surname while hosting student radio in the hope it would appeal to BBC bosses.

Speaking on Kathy Burke‘s Where There’s A Will, There’s A Wake podcast, Greg said: ‘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.’

The Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenter, 38, has admitted he actually chose his well-known surname shortly before being found by the BBC in 2007; pictured 2018

He continued: ‘I was looking around at like Sara Cox, Scott Mills. So my full name, my surname is Milward. It’s like a teacher’s name. It’s like a headteacher’s name. Greg Milward.

‘My dad was a headteacher and I was like, “well, it’s probably not that cool. I don’t really like it that much”. So I chose Greg James.’

However, the radio star admitted if he could go back in time, he would have selected something else.

He said: ‘My regret is that I should have thought it through, because by the time Radio 1 had sort of spotted me; I’d won this award basically, and Radio 1 were in touch, and before I knew it, I was doing a tryout show for them, and Greg James appeared in the Radio Times, in the listings, and I was like, “it’s too late, I can’t change it now”.

‘And then it just went on and on and on, and I can’t change it back now, I can’t do anything about it. I don’t mind it. It’s an okay radio name, but, I should have been more imaginative.’

Kathy replied: ‘No, no, because Greg James, like you say it’s got that bang bang.’

Last month, Greg unveiled a statue in tribute to Britain’s most famous duck who became an online sensation due to his abnormally large neck.

Long Boi arrived at the University of York in 2019 and went viral after a social media post incorrectly described him as ‘the tallest mallard duck to have ever lived… over 1m tall’, but he was later measured to be only around 70cm.

Greg revealed that his real name is Greg Milward and explained that James is actually his middle name which he chose as his surname while hosting student radio in the hope it would appeal to BBC bosses

Greg said: ‘[My name] turned into a bit of a secret, but it’s not a secret at all. In that Greg James is not my full name. So my surname is Milward. It’s like a teacher’s name, Greg Milward. So I chose Greg James’

Over the years Long Boi gathered a considerable following including an Instagram fan account with 60,000 followers and appearances on the James Corden Late Late Show and on BBC Radio 1.

But in May 2023, the university said it believed Long Boi had died after he went missing for two months.

And last month a statue to commemorate Long Boi’s ‘life and legacy’ was unveiled by Greg on his BBC Radio 1 show.

During the ceremony in the university’s Central Hall, a distraught Greg, who was wearing funeral attire including a veil, said: ‘When I first spoke about Long Boi on the Radio One Breakfast Show in May 2021 I had no idea that a fleeting comment about a very tall duck would lead to this now, three years later.

‘There are hundreds of people here in person to remember and to celebrate him. Millions listening to this ceremony right now on the radio, and even more people all around the world following this story.

‘So thank you to everyone who’s taking the time out of their day to listen to this ridiculous event, and thank you to you for your attendance here today’, according to YorkMix. 

‘Some people might not get why we are doing this today…. but silly things are important, silly things get us through the day and, look, silliness brings us together.

‘And our favourite animals get us through the day too.

‘We love them because they show us the best of ourselves and when you get the chance to celebrate silliness and animals at the same time you have to seize it with both hands.

‘So without further ado, Let’s all celebrate the life of Britain’s tallest duck.’

The sculpture of the Indian runner mallard duck will stand near the lake at Derwent College on the campus, which was one of his favourite haunts, the university said.

Last month, Greg unveiled a statue in tribute to Britain’s most famous duck who became an online sensation due to his abnormally large neck 

It comes after Greg was left horrified after his dog Barney had an accident on the train in front of shocked commuters earlier this year  

It said a clay mould of the life-sized statue was hand carved by award-winning wildlife sculptor Neil Mason before it was shipped to Greece for bronze casting.

The university’s students’ union raised the money to pay for the statue, saying it would ensure Long Boi ‘remains ever present in our hearts’.

It comes after Greg was left horrified after his dog Barney had an accident on the train in front of shocked commuters.

The DJ was taking the train from London Waterloo to the vets for Barney to have an operation on his knee due to struggles with arthritis.

The journey was going smoothly until Barney shuffled near to the door and started to go to do ‘the biggest p**s I’ve ever seen,’ Greg said.

Greg claimed the wee lasted two whole minutes and in a desperate attempt to clean up the mess, he rushed to the toilet to get some tissues.

However with the pair needing to get off at the next stop, he was forced to leave the patch of wee.

After getting off the train heading to Portsmouth, Greg approached the guard to apologise.