Top-rating radio duo Erin Phillips and Mark ‘Soda’ Soderstrom back on Mix 102.3 a month after they mysteriously disappeared

A month after they mysteriously vanished from the airwaves, popular Mix 102.3 duo Erin Phillips and Mark Soderstrom are back on air. Here’s what they said about their absence.

Top-rating radio duo Erin Phillips and Mark “Soda” Soderstrom are back on Mix 102.3 almost a month after they mysteriously disappeared.

The Erin & Soda breakfast program returned this morning with Phillips and Soderstrom both making light of what has to have been weighing heavily on their minds – their absence which made headlines.

The show has been off-air since March 25, initially because the station claimed Soderstrom was unwell – despite continuing to present sport on Seven News and being photographed at a Norwood cafe.

Management then announced Phillips and Soderstrom were being given a “well-deserved” break for a week, which is highly unusual in a ratings period. It was followed by a fortnight’s leave, as is the norm during radio’s off-season.

Industry insiders say the plan was to return today and put the attention on an AFLW Crows win in the Grand Final at the weekend.

However Phillips and her teammate lost to the Brisbane Lions, ruling that tactic out.

Erin Phillips and Mark Soda Soderstrom are back on air. Pic: File

Instead, when Phillips and Soderstrom made their comeback just after 6am, the pair cheekily made reference to his health.

Soderstrom: “Erin, is that you?”

Phillips: “Hey Soda”

S: How are you?

P: Good, how are you going?

S: I’m really, really good. How are you?

P: I’m great – you look well.

S: And I feel well – on top of the world.

P: It’s good to be back.

S: It’s wonderful to be back. Good morning, everyone. A little break, a little breather … and, Erin, I’m wanted to come back and I wanted to play the Pride of South Australia, I wanted to shoot streamers and, you know, I was almost even going to wear a Crows beanie. What on earth? Don’t tell me now, we’ll get that at one point.

P (laughing): I should have taken another day off.

S: Hey, very proud of you, mate. You could have taken six months off and still have lost … let’s be honest.

After the pair introduced a “new” competition, Beat The Bomb, Phillips couldn’t resist dropping in another playful reference to their time off-air and highly-anticipated return.

She told Soderstrom, “It’s good to see you again”, to which he replied: “Will you stop it.”

P: I’ve missed you.

S: No you haven’t. I’ve seen you every week at the footy (laughing) I’ve seen that much of you it’s like I’ve been here the whole time.

In the second survey results for 2021, released last week, Mix 102.3 was still the No. 1 FM show in the crucial breakfast timeslot.

Mix 102.3 was also the No. 1 station.