SUFFOLK DJ John Peel has agreed to present the chart rundown on Radio 1 for the first time in his 35-year career at the station.Peel, who lives near Stowmarket, Suffolk, is one of the founding voices of the station and the oldest man on its airwaves by far.

SUFFOLK DJ John Peel has agreed to present the chart rundown on Radio 1 for the first time in his 35-year career at the station.

Peel, who lives near Stowmarket, Suffolk, is one of the founding voices of the station and the oldest man on its airwaves by far.

He will host the weekly Top 40 show as a special one-off next month.

The 63-year-old broadcaster said: "I'm really looking forward to it. Some of my listeners found out I was doing this and I've had lots and lots of e-mails of encouragement."

Peel is expected to present the show from the studios in London, rather than his Suffolk home affectionately called 'Peel Acres' from which a number of his programmes are broadcast.

A Radio 1 spokesman said: "It's been really good having a variety of our presenters fronting The Official UK Top 40 and we're really pleased that John is going to be doing it.

"Everyone's bringing their own individual style to the show and we're sure John will do so too," he added.

Peel, given an OBE for his services to broadcasting, has been a champion of underground music during his entire time at the station. And he has retained a healthy cynicism towards the throwaway pop which now fills the charts.

During his years as occasional presenter on BBC1's Top Of The Pops, he would often mockingly show his disdain for the bands who appeared.

He did appear once 'playing' the mandolin during an appearance with Rod Stewart singing 'Maggie May' in the 1970s.

Peel will host the Sunday evening institution on January 12 as Radio 1 bosses give a number of their DJs a chance to take over until a new permanent host is appointed.

He still presents three shows a week on Radio 1 and is also the voice of Radio 4's Home Truths, the weekly magazine chronicling the lives of ordinary people around the UK

Mark Goodier - the voice of the charts for nearly a decade has left and will take over the countdown on Classic FM in the new year.

Last week Jo Whiley became the first woman to ever present the chart rundown, cutting short one novelty Europop track because she was not too keen on it.