This, then, was the culture Janice was thrown into. We may have been female, but it was still a man’s world. Fortunately she knew her music, was passionate and good at her job, and shone a spotlight on artists from the North-West, such as The Smiths, New Order and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. 

There wasn’t time for much off-air camaraderie at Radio 1. All the jocks had outside work, making personal appearances, and DJing at discos. I had two other jobs: as a columnist, and hosting BBC Two’s alternative TV music show The Old Grey Whistle Test. Janice did Top of the Pops, memorably developing a strong bond with fellow Liverpudlian John Peel. The pair couldn’t choose the music on Top of the Pops, but they could keep their irreverent attitude and their integrity. 

Much later, Janice migrated to Radio 2, and in 2017, found her natural home on BBC Radio Wales, not far from her friends and family in Liverpool. I was happy that she could be closer to her roots, yet retain her freedom and independence on air. 

The women who followed Janice and I in the 1990s, such as Zoe Ball and Sara Cox, faced a similar culture at Radio 1. They had to endure being known as  “ladettes”. But Janice’s legacy is much more than that; she was a true trailblazer. She cleared a path for female media stars such as Clara Amfo, Adele Roberts and Lauren Laverne, and proved that a career in radio could be satisfying and fulfilling. 

I will miss her. 

Annie Nightingale’s Radio 1 show is broadcast on Tuesdays at 11 pm. Her latest book, Hey Hi Hello (White Rabbit, £10.99), is out now