Rhiannon Ingle
Listeners have been left completely divided over the incident surrounding the Radio 1 DJ who was pulled off air for her 'disrespectful' comments.
The blunder took place last Saturday (29 July) and saw 36-year-old Arielle Free, a DJ who first joined BBC Radio 1 back in 2019, being removed from the show by fellow DJ Charlie Hedges, 37, after just one minute of being on-air.
Arielle appeared as a guest on Charlie's Dance Anthems Ibiza show and didn't hold back on her thoughts about Charlie's set.
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Audio from the broadcast captured the awkward encounter, starting with Charlie asking Arielle: "Are you okay? I mean, you've sounded better but it's okay."
Arielle then replied: "Well [...] this is what happens. You play on Friday night, you play on Saturday day and then your voice just goes."
She then said: "Can I be honest with you Charlie? I expected better of you."
Trying to clarify the off-the-cuff remark, Charlie responded: "What as in to sound like you?"
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Arielle, the former Love Island: The Morning After podcast host, then said: "I don't like this song."
"Oh really?" Charlie replied before Arielle added: "I hate it."
Charlie can then be heard declaring: "Sorry, I'm taking your mic down. It's my show, Arielle, have some respect please. This is Dance Anthems. Have some respect."
"See you later, get out of here," she concluded.
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The whole ordeal has since caused quite the storm on social media, with many people rushing to either slam or defend each of the DJs for their part in the fiasco.
One Twitter user on Charlie's side penned: "I don't think Charlie Hedges was p****d at what [Arielle Free] said about the song... I think she was annoyed that she was w******d and talking a*** on her live radio set. Not an overreaction."
A second hit out: "No idea why Charlie Hedges is getting s**t for this? Free has just embarrassed herself and Radio 1."
"Show some respect Arielle Free," tweeted another before congratulating: "Well done Charlie Hedges."
Others, however, were fiercely standing in Arielle's corner.
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"This is clearly not about saying she didn’t like the song," claimed one Twitter user. "Arielle Free is off her head. Funny as f**k and what radio should be about. BBC Radio 1 put her back on & get some more DJs that can have a laugh."
A second quipped: "Canny believe they’ve taken Arielle Free off Radio1 for calling a s**te song exactly what it is."
A third asserted: "Arielle Free you were s**tfaced. Hilarious. Quality radio broadcasting in my opinion. The beeb need to lighten up a little bit."
"Totally agree with Arielle Free here Charlie Hedges has fully overreacted," commented a final Twitter user.
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And, for anyone wondering, Charlie had been playing Stream MCR-T & horsegiirL's 'My Barn, My Rules' during the incident.
A spokesperson for BBC Radio 1 has previously told LADbible: "Whilst we would not comment on individual matters, we have strict codes of behaviour for staff and presenters, and any breaches are taken extremely seriously."
Arielle Free is currently scheduled to appear back on Radio 1's Future Artist next week (10 August) at 8pm but hasn't appeared on the schedule this week.