Â鶹ԭ´´

Tea Break Tour is all about the people behind our brands. Every show, every story and every connection with our audiences starts with a person and this series is a chance to pause, put the kettle on and recognise the talent and creativity that brings Bauer to life. From audio and publishing to teams across the wider business, Tea Break Tour celebrates the personalities you hear, read and see every day, sharing the stories and moments you don’t always get when the mic is live or the day gets busy.

James Barr takes on the Tea Break Tour! We caught up with James from Hits Radio Breakfast with Fleur East, Will and James for a Tea Break Tour during a well-earned pause between waking up the nation. Over a cup of fruity tea, James told us about life on the breakfast show, working with Fleur and Will, unforgettable celebrity moments and what really happens when the mic goes down.

First off, how do you take your tea? 

I’ve gone for a fruit tea today, because I am fruity. Just the tea bag, hot water, a bit of a stir and then I’m ready to go.

Can you describe Hits Breakfast in three words? 

Fleur, Will, James. Well, actually it’s billed as Fleur East, Will and James, so I guess the three words are Fleur East Will.

What’s it like working with Fleur East and Will Best every morning? 

Oh my God, I love it. We laugh all day – like, all morning. It is the best way to wake up. I have such a good time and I think we’ve become a bit of a chosen family, so it’s really cute.

You’ve had some incredible guests, is there an absolute favourite? 

Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift.
I asked her if she had any hot gay friends she could introduce me to. I’m still waiting for that call, but I reckon she’s just going through the Rolodex. She’s met a lot of people. It’s probably going to take her a little while.

What’s one thing people might be surprised to hear happens when the mic’s down? 

A lot happens behind the mic. I actually think the off-air show is probably the funniest show because we just rinse each other all day in a way I can’t really describe here. A lot goes down. Will’s often taking his clothes off, which is a lot. I’ve seen Fleur quite intimately. But, you know, as I said – we’re a family. An intriguing family.

What’s been the funniest moment on air? 

We were interviewing Adele over Zoom; she lives in LA and we only had about eight minutes. I meant to press ‘pin profile’ but I was so excited and nervous that I accidentally hit ‘remove’ and kicked Adele out of the room.

How did she respond? 

I don’t think she really knew what was going on but she was okay. She laughed it off and then we got chatting.

What’s one thing listeners don’t know about you? 

People think I’m really mean because we have a competition called Useless and I’m the loser cater, I have to issue time penalties when people get questions right instead of wrong. But actually, I’m an empath and I feel things really deeply and it can be really difficult to sleep at night.

You’ve had an amazing radio career so far – what’s been your proudest moment? 

I think it’s quite cool every time you’re fired, actually. Genuinely, those are the moments that make you. I’m not foreshadowing anything but I think those moments are something to be proud of.

Is there anything exciting coming up? 

I’m really excited about my Australian tour and UK tour in 2026. I do comedy as well, so I’m looking forward to taking my triple-award-nominated Edinburgh Fringe show ‘’ on tour in Australia and the UK next year.

Finally, what’s the perfect tea break snack? 

A Grenade bar – probably the white chocolate one, the Oreo or the peanut butter.
Or sometimes just a full breakfast. Just go all in. Dunk a sausage in your tea.