Former Adelaide Crows star Bernie Vince speaks out after Triple M axes Adelaide’s Rush Hour drivetime radio sports show
Triple M’s Adelaide Rush Hour has been dumped for a Melbourne-based show and one of the SA hosts says this will leave a ‘big hole’ in local radio.
Entertainment
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Bernie Vince has opened up about the shock axing of Triple M’s top-rating drivetime show, saying it will leave a “big hole” in the local radio market.
The former Crows midfielder and his Rush Hour co-hosts Andrew Jarman and Greg Blewett were told this week that their weekday sports program was being dumped at the end of the year.
It’s understood the 4-6pm show will be replaced in 2025 by its sister program in Melbourne, hosted by James Brayshaw and Billy Brownless.
Vince, 38, said they were all “disappointed” but understood the “bigger picture”.
“It’s always tough to actually hear the news because... it’s not often you get cut when you’re at the top of your game,” he said.
“We know it’s a brutal industry and if you’re not going well, you’re never safe.
“But when we’re rating number one and really cutting through, it’s a bit of a different situation. It just never happens.”
The local trio has hosted Rush Hour together since the start of 2021, and in the most recent radio ratings at the end of August, were no. 1 in their timeslot, well ahead of main competitors, FIVEaa’s sports show with Stephen Rowe and Tim Ginever.
It’s believed the surprise move to a national drivetime show is a “cost-cutting” decision, though the outgoing presenters weren’t given a detailed explanation.
Vince said they were most disappointed for their listeners, who they described as like “family”.
“They’re very loyal, and they’ve stuck with us for a long time now. I’m disappointed for them too because it’ll leave a big hole in the local drive market now with no FM local show,” he said.
“I know how much Adelaide craves local (radio) – we’re very loyal like that.”
Vince said the response from the public has been “overwhelming” since the news was revealed on Thursday, and he’s received hundreds of messages of support from friends and fans.
Outraged listeners took to social media to slam Triple M’s decision, with many describing it a “huge mistake”. Others said they’d rather switch stations rather than listen to Melbourne footy duo Brayshaw and Brownless.
“My phone’s been going off today. A few thought it might have been a hoax or something... but that’s not the case,” Vince said.
Vince will continue as part of Triple M’s football commentary team and Blewett will remain with the station as a cricket expert.
But the media future of beloved former Crow Jarman – who celebrated 21 years on-air at Triple M in November – remains up in the air.
“I feel for him. Me and Greg are cut but Jars was part of the furniture almost at Triple M. I thought they’d have to wheel him out of there at the end,” said Vince, who has been Jarman’s Rush Hour co-host since 2020.
“I think we gave him a bit of a new lease of life as well. It was a really good team. I don’t think you’d get too many teams as close as what we were. We loved spending time together.”
The program will be off-air for the rest of the week and return on Monday, and will continue until about mid-November.
A Southern Cross Austereo spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that Adelaide’s The Rush Hour will finish at the end of 2024.
“Further detail regarding the 2025 Drive show will be provided in due course,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
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