This morning, he announced his masterstroke: replacing flagship Breakfast Show host (and self-styled 'Saviour of Radio 1') Chris Moyles with a presenter 11 years his junior, Nick Grimshaw.
Cooper's press release quote said it all. "Nick will be an excellent host for Radio 1's new breakfast show, bringing a new generation of listeners with him."
Although Moyles' detractors - who have mutated steadily in his eight years on air - have brazenly taken the opportunity to kick the love-him-or-hate-him broadcaster's bum as it exits the studio, it's hard to argue with his RAJARs.
Moyles added a million listeners to Radio 1 in his first quarter on-air back in 2004, eventually dragging his show to a steady 7m-plus listenership over eight years - making him the longest-serving R1 breakfast host in history. He will exit in September.
Yet whilst he might be the proud owner of two Sony Awards, Moyles finds particular criticism within the music industry - not least for filling his privileged airtime with novelty songs and stream-of-consciousness buffoonery, rather than tunes.
With that in mind, here are five reasons why young Oldham-born Grimshaw might just prove popular amongst music types:
1) He loves musicians
Moyles bashes and crashes over-matey, noisy 'banter' towards his musical guests on air (remember when he called Victoria Beckham a "whore" for being pregnant? LOL etc.) In contrast, Grimshaw actually hangs out with them after hours. He's good buddies with the likes of Lily Cooper (nee Allen), Harry Styles and Annie Mac - and was properly good friends with Amy Winehouse. This bodes well in terms of 'respect for the craft'.
2) He loves music
Nearly all of the Music Week team have spotted Grimshaw at a gig. A proper cider'n'sticky floors gig. And although his Radio 1 post will mean (i) very few late nights and (ii) a need to bow to his playlist masters, that's a heck of a positive place to come in from. If that's not enough proof, consider this: he was pretty much 'discovered' as a presenter at Glastonbury Festival. He later told the Guardian: "I like broadcasting and I love music." Note: Like, love. The right way round.
3) He knows when to play the fool
Do you really think Grimshaw hasn't had to evangelise music that he's not keen on in front of the T4 camera? Unlike some of the cocksure haircuts the programme has soaked in its lightly caustic presenting style, Grimshaw - similar to Simon Amstell before him - is expert at giving foolish fame-gobblers enough rope, and doing so with charm. Their super-fans have no cause for anger... but there are grown-up titters to be found between the lines of them cheeky posers.
4) He is not a shouter
We can but hope Grimshaw doesn't nervously start on Radio 1 by windmilling into our speakers. His natural style breeds on nuance, wit and friendliness. Although Moyle's shoes are bigguns to fill, Grimshaw could find fresh respect amongst his audience by not bellowing at them, but actually engaging with them. A good start would be pressing 'play' a bit more than his predecessor...
5) His first ever gig was The Prodigy.
At seven-years-old. We bet that still leaves a mark.
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