Who’s in the running to fill in for Ali at Mix after shock diagnosis

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Mix 102.3 breakfast presenter Ali Clarke is taking time out. We’ve asked those in the know who they think will be filling in for her.

Following Mix 102.3 breakfast presenter Ali Clarke’s on-air revelation that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer the 47-year-old has been inundated with messages of support.

The mum of three is having a mastectomy later this week and taking extended leave from Max & Ali in the Morning. The search has been on for Max Burford’s temporary co-host or co-hosts, who will be revealed on Friday.

Who could fill in for Ali Clarke?

Radio insiders say we shouldn’t expect to see a man filling in for Ali because women are needed in brekky radio for gender balance. They have also suggested some names who might be in the mix. BTW, it sounds like you could be in with a chance if your name is Kelly …

Kelly Noble. Picture: Supplied

Kelly Nestor. Picture: Supplied.

KELLY NOBLE

It’s no secret that the founder of Glam Adelaide has had radio aspirations for quite some time. Kelly already does “what’s on” pre-recorded segments on Mix and recently announced she would also be heard on its AM sister station Cruise1323 …

KELLY NESTOR

“I hope radio will be my thing. Fingers crossed,” this Kelly told us late last year, when she was a fill-in presenter on ABC Adelaide’s afternoon shift.

While a more permanent role in Aunty’s revamped line-up for 2024 eluded her, we reckon Kelly could easily adapt to commercial station Mix. When she was on TV, she worked for Seven, Nine and Ten, as well as the ABC.

Kelly Golding. Picture: Morgan Sette

KELLY GOLDING

A travel and lifestyle presenter for the Seven Network for close to two decades, this Kelly is currently presenting Adelaide’s More Music Breakfast show for digital station SmoothFM. Could she be persuaded to give up that radio gig for a short-term role, with a higher profile, at Mix?

Tiff Warne. Picture: Supplied

Erin Phillips. Picture: Supplied

TIFF WARNE

With her sunny position, Channel 10 weather presenter Tiff would be a great co-host to Max.

They are not only TV colleagues – he is Ten’s sports presenter – but they’ve been on radio together before too. Back in 2021, when their Ten colleague Jodie Oddy first joined Nova 919 – after her departure from Mix – they were her co-hosts on a Saturday morning breakfast program. She’s our hot tip.

ERIN PHILLIPS

Could the AFLW superstar return to Mix, where she kicked off her radio career?

Phillips left the station at the start of the year and now pops up as a guest on SAFM brekky. It is unlikely she will be back on-air at Mix but you never know.

Mel Greig. Picture: Supplied

MEL GREIG

In the mid-2000s, Mel – who had been a volunteer DJ at community station Fresh FM – got a gig at SAFM. In 2007 she was working for Nova 919, but by 2010 she had made the move to Mix 102.3. While Mel hasn’t worked in radio in recent years, she still has a profile as an ambassador for Endometriosis Australia. She’s living interstate but could she be lured back to Adelaide to fill in?

Belinda Heggen. Picture: Instagram

Lauren De Cesare and Hayley Pearson. Picture: Matt Turner

BELINDA HEGGEN

The former TV journo, who was a big name on the small screen at Ten, is flat out running her own business, FLUENT Media. But just maybe she would like to add to her workload? It’s not like she hasn’t done radio before in the afternoon time slot on FIVEaa.

HAYLEY PEARSON AND LAUREN DECESARE

It has been a long time between breakfast radio shows for Hayley, who finished up on Nova 919’s brekky program in 2019. Hayley is the co-founder of Adelady with Lauren DeCesare, who was her executive producer when she did brekky on SAFM before that. The two besties have great chemistry on TV too. It has been hinted on-air that there may be more than one fill-in presenter – could we soon be listening to Max, Hayley & Lauren in the Morning?