Millions heard Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles yesterday take an on-air pop at Guernsey. The self-styled ‘saviour of daytime radio’ suggested Detroit rockers The White Stripes should be banished here for a song he didn’t like.

When his producer asked, ‘Why Guernsey?’, Moyles replied, ‘Because apparently Jersey is too nice.’

But after his show he declined to explain his comments to the Guernsey Press.

An email to the show drew the response that he was too busy and then the Radio 1 press office blocked all calls to the DJ.

His comments came the morning after another Radio 1 DJ – Tim Westwood – appeared at Barbados nightclub.

Mr Westwood, in contrast, was complimentary.

He sent the crowd wild by announcing over the microphone during his set: ‘I was in Jersey a couple of months ago, but tonight in Guernsey, this is a hotter party!’

Mr Moyles’ weekday breakfast show, broadcast from 7 to 10, is the most popular in the UK and is thought to attract millions of worldwide listeners on the internet.

It is not known if he has ever been to Guernsey, or his reasons for making the comments.

‘They are not great. They are a joke,’ said Moyles after playing The White Stripes’ song.

‘If that’s a joke, those two should be banished to Guernsey.’

His comments were not welcomed by islanders shopping in HMV yesterday.

Michael Sullivan, 16, said he was surprised and would think twice about listening to the show again.

‘It’s not something I would expect from him,’ he said.

Engineer Ewan Watson, 29, said anything Mr Moyles said had to be taken with a pinch of salt.

‘I like him, but he does talk a lot of rubbish and it’s only his opinion.’

Storeman driver Jason Rumens, 37, pointed out that while Mr Moyles’ remarks might not have done Guernsey’s tourism industry any favours, the average listener was probably younger than the island’s typical holidaymakers.

‘I expect it’s come about because Tim Westwood has been over here,’ he said,

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if he said what he said because he sees Guernsey as a backwater.’