Jamie Laing, the Made in Chelsea star taking over BBC Radio 1’s drivetime show, has insisted he is “not just a posh idiot” after facing a backlash over his appointment.

Laing, 35, who is replacing long-standing presenter Jordan North, will host his first show on Monday.

When Laing was unveiled as the new host, some social media users complained he was too posh.

But Laing told The Sunday Times it was wrong to assume he “just swanned in”.

“I’ve been trying to get this job for eight years, constantly grinding, constantly asking to do little slots,” he said.

“No-one is given a job here because their mum or dad helped them into it. You have to earn your colours.”

Radio 1 announced last month that Laing would be taking over the Going Home show between 15:30-17:45 Monday to Thursdays alongside Vick Hope.

He had previously presented on the station during Mollie King’s maternity leave, describing it as “an absolute dream”.

But some fans of the station expressed their dissatisfaction at the decision, with one writing on Twitter/X: “Radio 1 has turned into the posh boys club.”

North, who spent time at a community radio station while still at university, worked his way up in the industry.

Laing, whose great-grandfather founded the McVitie’s biscuit empire, was privately educated. He is best known for appearing on the reality television series Made in Chelsea, which follows the lives of affluent young people in West London.

Addressing the criticism directly, Laing indicated he saw his new role as vindication.

“I suppose what people see now is that I’m maybe not just a posh idiot,” he said.

“After years of doing podcasting, the audience went, ‘Oh, hang on, we trust this person’. That’s what it’s all about, especially in audio, because you don’t really see the individual, so you really need to trust them.”

Laing also laughed at some of the abuse he has received online.

“Someone commented, ‘I think Jamie Laing’s a really great guy’, and someone wrote underneath saying, ‘What planet are you on? Is there oxygen?’ That’s actually quite funny,” he said.

Laing previously co-hosted the Radio 1 podcast 6 Degrees from Jamie and Spencer and also presents the NewlyWeds podcast alongside his wife Sophie Habboo, another Made in Chelsea star.

North is to replace Roman Kemp as host of Capital Radio’s breakfast show.

He had presented the drivetime show with Hope since 2021, having previously presented weekend shows like Greatest Hits on Sundays.

He also co-hosts the popular Help I Sexted My Boss podcast with William Hanson.

In 2020, he took part in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, finishing second.