Early Career
Mayo's father Derek was a head teacher and his mother Jill was also a teacher. He attended St John's Primary School in Croydon, the Arden School in Knowle (for one term), Solihull School, an historic independent school in the West Midlands and Worthing High School which was then a state Grammar School for boys. After graduating from the University of Warwick in 1980 with a degree in History and Politics, Mayo spent some time honing his skills at Southlands Hospital Radio, worked for five years as a presenter with BBC Radio Nottingham, before joining the national pop network BBC Radio 1 in 1986, presenting a two hour Saturday evening show from 7.30-9.30pm.
In October 1987 he progressed to the weekend early slots from 6.00am-8.00am and then became presenter of the weekday evening show in January 1988, which went out from 7.30pm-10.00pm. Five months later he was offered the Radio 1 breakfast show, regarded as the most prestigious presentation job in UK radio.
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