BBC Newsbeat
BBCRadio 1 DJ Greg James is to receive an honorary degree from the University of York – where he once led a memorial service for a beloved campus duck.
Unusually tall mallard Long Boi became an online sensation due to his height, and was regularly mentioned on the presenter’s weekday breakfast show.
And it was Greg who, last autumn, made a pilgrimage to the university to unveil a statue erected in Longboi’s memory.
York’s vice chancellor Charlie Jeffery says the presenter was chosen for his “remarkable contribution to society” and for championing mental health.
Greg’s relationship with York university and Longboi stretches back to 2022, when he first suggested co-presenting a show with the towering waterfowl.
The collaboration finally came to pass in March 2023, when Long Boi’s quack was broadcast to millions of listeners over the phone.
But just a few months later the campus mascot was reported missing and feared dead – sparking a campaign to erect the statue in his memory that Greg later unveiled.
As he announced news of the honorary degree to listeners, he joked: “I’m getting a duck-torate. I’m going to be a duck-tor”.
Greg said he was “deeply honoured and flattered” to be chosen for the accolade alongside Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood and historian Greg Jenner.
Getty ImagesSpeaking to BBC Newsbeat, Greg says it was a “huge surprise” to receive a letter from the university inviting him to accept the honorary degree of doctor of the university.
“It took me a while to compose myself and write a formal reply that wasn’t just ‘yes, thank you,” he says.
“I did it very calmly.”
York’s vice chancellor said the university wanted to recognise Greg’s “ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level” and make “a significant impact on countless lives but in particular those of young people”.
“I don’t feel particularly deserving of a doctorate for that,” says Greg.
“But I do like being a facilitator of fun.”
Greg is, however, a big advocate of the power of radio to reach audiences “in a world that feels increasingly divided”.
“Radio is a friend to people. It’s a friend to me,” he says.
“It puts you in a community of people who are like-minded.
“I love that I get to talk to millions of people every day and I love that we celebrate everyone’s brains and everyone’s differences.”
BBC Radio 1Greg, and the other honorary graduates, will be headed to the University of York to collect their degrees at the end of July.
He tells Newsbeat he’s doing some “serious thinking” about his graduation speech.
Not to spoil anything, but you can expect Long Boi to feature heavily, as well as a “celebration of radio” and “people being together”.
And Greg also suggests that a quote from Pitbull – who regularly gets a mention on the presenter’s show – might also be included.
He shouldn’t have to look too hard, as the US rapper also also received an honorary degree in 2015 from Florida’s Doral College.
It will also be Greg’s second honorary degree after receiving one in 2015 at the University of East Anglia – eight years after missing his actual graduation ceremony.
