Charlotte Church reflects on Chris Moyles offering to take her virginity: ‘At least it was out in the open’

Charlotte Church has reflected on Chris Moyles offering to take her virginity when she was 16 in comparison to the “more underground” misogyny of 2023.

Church rose to fame as a classical singer as a child, before going on to pursue a career in pop music in the mid Noughties.

In 2002, Moyles, who was then presenting BBC Radio 1’s drive-time show, offered to take the singer’s virginity, saying that he wanted to “lead her through the forest of sexuality now she had reached 16”.

Church makes an appearance on Kathy Burke: Growing Up, a new documentary for Channel 4 exploring the subject of ageing, in which Church opened up about the public reaction to her changing as she got older.

“It felt like it started to get dark when you were basically reaching puberty, that’s when they started to write about you differently,” Burke said, with Church replying: “There was just this shift where I sort of became fair game.”

The “Crazy Chick” singer – who was awarded Rear of the Year when she was 16 – then discussed The Sun printing a countdown until she lost her virginity, which led to Moyles commenting on the subject on Radio 1.

“Of course, it wasn’t good, but at least it was out in the open,” Church told Burke.

“That lads lads lads culture was prominent, it was very simplistic, it was unashamed. It was just out there and everybody knew what it was.”

She continued: “Whereas now, somehow it’s become a bit more underground and a bit more dangerous, I feel.”

The Independent has contacted Moyles’s representatives for comment.

Following complaints about Moyles’ 2002 comments, the Broadcasting Standards Commission said at the time that the “explicit sexual content and humour had exceeded acceptable boundaries for the time of transmission”.

Discussing her treatment as a teenager in a previous interview, Church said that it was “all a bit gross”.

She also addressed similar comments that were made towards Billie Eilish when she turned 18 in 2019, adding: “Don’t get me wrong, we’ve come a certain way, but there’s a long way to go in terms of feminism and equality.”

Kathy Burke: Growing Up airs Wednesday 8 March at 10pm on Channel 4.