Radio 1 Breakfast Show host Chris Moyles has lost more than half-a-million listeners in three months, according to new figures.
Moyles, who launched into a controversial on-air rant against his bosses last month, pulled in 7.1 million weekly listeners in the third quarter of this year - down from 7.7 million in the preceding three months.
One station insider said the figures were an expected "seasonal fluctuation" caused by the school holidays.
Moyles was well beaten by Radio 2 morning rival Chris Evans who attracted a million more listeners than him, according to the latest figures.
But Evans also lost listeners - he was down from 8.48 million in the previous quarter to 8.14 million.
Earlier this month Evans said his breakfast rival should leave his Radio 1 show and claimed he had "lost perspective". Evans, who formerly hosted the show himself, said: "It's time for him to leave."
Moyles was also spoken to by Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt after the rant, where he complained about not being paid and accused station bosses of "a huge lack of respect".
The figures do not cover his outburst which came on September 22 - three days after the measuring period ended.
It has been suggested that Moyles has begun to sound out commercial rivals, possibly Capital, about a move when his BBC contract ends next year.
Capital's own breakfast show, currently hosted by Johnny Vaughan and Lisa Snowdon, had 1.15 million listeners in the third quarter of this year.
