The Northern Irish presenter is one of six beloved presenters to be leaving Radio 1 amid a major shake-up at the station announced in July, with his final early breakfast show taking place on Thursday.
Reflecting on his time at the BBC ahead of his final show, McCullough, who joined Radio 1 in 2020 from LGBTQ+ station Gaydio, admitted that he’d struggled with the strict impartiality rules imposed on him by the national broadcaster.
Sharing a clip from Tuesday’s early breakfast show to Instagram, McCullough wrote: “I wanted to speak openly about my feelings of arriving at BBC Radio 1 6 years ago already broadcasting as an out and proud as a gay man.
“I’d spent 3 and a half years at LGBTQ+ station Gaydio being outspoken and opinionated on air. Moving to the BBC meant sacrificing my public views and in tern [sic], a part of my voice. It’s not been easy and I’ve had to do a lot of my advocacy in the shadows.”
He continued: “But this chapter has been full of learnings and I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to my listeners and producers, the people that matter, for just allowing me to be me. You’ve no idea how much that means to me and for other queer people in this space.
“And look, it’s not my story to ‘fit in’ and ‘be everyone’s cup of tea’ – that [is] extremely boring to me. If I’ve learnt anything in my 16 years of being a presenter it’s ’speak from your heart and the right people will hear you’.”
BBC employees – including presenters – are given strict editorial guidelines involving impartiality, which read: “Presenters, reporters, correspondents and on-air editors are the public face and voice of the BBC; they can have a significant impact on perceptions of whether due impartiality has been achieved.
“The public expression by staff and presenters of their own personal reactions to a statement or issue – such as personal offence or indignation; or agreement or approval – may jeopardise perceptions of the BBC’s impartiality and might give an impression of bias.”
In the clip McCullough shared, he could be heard telling listeners that he was “really, really quite nervous” to join Radio 1.
“When I got to Radio 1, I thought, gosh, am I going to be able to be myself? Am I going to be able to be out and proud and unapologetically gay? Is that going to be for me, or are management going to tell me ‘not too much’ and ‘can you just change the way you speak a little bit?’
The I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star explained that “that didn’t happen” and that while the online comments on posts of him were often “horrific”, “for the very, very most part, every single person that has messaged in and supported me over the years, it doesn’t really matter that I’m gay. I’m really proud that my journey at Radio 1 meant that I was able to be myself”.
Ending the clip, he told listeners: “Please, never dim your light. Never change who you are to fit a relationship, a workplace, a school, a business. Just stay true to you, because you’ll be glad of it,” before playing Lady Gaga’s ”Edge of Glory”.
The BBC declined the Standard’s request for comment.
McCullough is leaving the station along with fellow presenters Melvin Odoom, Rickie Haywood-Williams, Nat O’Leary, James Cusack and Swarzy.
They will be replaced by a string of new presenters, including YouTube influencer GK Barry and TikTok star Charley Marlowe, with Yorkshire duo Mylo & Rosie taking over early breakfast from McCullough.