NORTH Essex DJ Steve Lamacq has been dropped by Radio 1 after 16 years.

The former Gazette paperboy’s Monday night slot was ditched to make way for a new series of music documentaries.

Passionate Colchester United fan Lamacq will keep his shows on Radio 2 and 6Music.

Deputy Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper said: “Radio 1 must continue to evolve to help sharpen our offer to younger audiences.

“We’re committed to delivering the best content to our audiences and our refreshed schedule us reflecting this.”

Lamacq, who grew up in Colne Engaine, said he had been privileged to get the chance to present his indie and alternative music programmes for two decades.

He said: “It was a wonderful opportunity to try and subvert pop music radio from within, which I hope we managed to do more often than not.”

The 43-year-old landed a job presenting Radio 1’s Evening Session back in 1993, after working for the NME music newspaper and as a sports reporter on the Harlow Gazette.

When that was axed in 2002, he moved to present a Monday night programme, Lamacq Live, which also got the chop.

The Colchester United season ticket holder joked at the time he might be tempted to jack it all in and apply as successor to Phil Parkinson, who had quit weeks earlier.

However, he won a reprieve when he was invited to present the Monday edition of the station’s nightly In New Music We Trust shows.