Gary Barlow, James Corden and Pixie Lott pay tribute to Chris Moyles as he leaves Radio 1

Outgoing Radio 1 breakfast host Chris Moyles has been given a special send-off by showbiz pals.

Ant and Dec hosted a This Is Your Life-style farewell on his penultimate morning show which was unusually broadcast in front of a live audience of 200-plus fans.

Other guests included James Corden, Gary Barlow, Billie Piper and Pixie Lott who turned up to wish him well along with listeners at the BBC's Radio Theatre in London.

Geordie duo Ant and Dec produced their own big red book as they looked back on his career and brought out friends and guests from Moyles's eight and a half year stint on the breakfast show - the longest tenant of the prestige slot since the station launched in 1967.

Among the famous figures for the spoof review of his tenure was his predecessor Sara Cox, Davina McCall and Fearne Cotton.

Cheryl Cole - one of Moyles's fellow trekkers during a Comic Relief challenge to climb Kilimanjaro, along with Barlow - sent a message of support.

She said: "I'll never forget the memories we've shared," she said. "So best wishes from me, and happy new chapter."

Music guests also included Rizzle Kicks, with whom Moyles recently recorded a track, in which they exchange banter, poking fun at each other's ages.

Moyles - one of the corporation's highest paid presenters - joked that his departure would leave a huge hole in the schedules, but would save the BBC a huge amount of money.

Fellow Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw is to take over the programme later this month.