Stacey Lee quits ABC Adelaide breakfast radio to move to FIVEaa, Jules Schiller and Sonya Feldhoff new show hosts
A top radio presenter has called it quits at ABC Adelaide and confirmed a move to a rival station. And the ABC has wasted no time announcing its new breakfast program.
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Radio presenter Stacey Lee has quit ABC Adelaide’s breakfast show effective immediately and will join rival station FIVEaa in the new year – prompting her former employer to announce a new breakfast show just hours later.
Longtime ABC presenters Sonya Feldhoff and Jules Schiller have been revealed as the station’s new early morning duo, starting next year.
The announcement comes after Lee told ABC bosses of her decision this morning to move across to host FIVEaa’s vacant afternoons shift, as reported by The Advertiser earlier this week.
After almost two years on ABC’s breakfast program alongside Beilharz, Lee said she was looking forward to hosting a solo show.
“The chance to be a part of the FIVEaa family was an opportunity too good to pass up,” she said.
“I love speaking direct to the Adelaide audience and learning what makes them tick, so I’m really excited to be able to do even more of that in a solo capacity on afternoons.”
Feldhoff has presented ABC Adelaide’s Afternoons program since 2012 while Jules has been in the drive timeslot since 2017. The pair also co-hosted a segment, Off the Cuff, as part of Feldhoff’s afternoons show.
ABC Adelaide Manager Graeme Bennett said they were excited to bring the well-known presenters together at breakfast.
“For the past two years they’ve built their extraordinary on-air chemistry with some of the most original and entertaining broadcasting you’ll hear,” he said.
Schiller said: “I can honestly say I’ll get up each morning with a smile on my face knowing Sonya and I can have the conversations that matter to Adelaide. And in a double bonus, I now have the afternoons free for Sonya to finally teach me to drive a manual.”
Mr Bennett confirmed Beilharz will host ABC breakfast from Monday until the end of the year, with an announcement about his future with the station to be made at a later date.
Lee and Beilharz currently sit third in the most recent radio ratings, with a 10.1 listener share, behind Triple M (16.9) and FIVEaa (10.9).
FIVEaa station manager Craig Munn said they were thrilled to have the former Sky News reporter and newsreader on board, describing her as “fantastic broadcaster and well-respected journalist”.
“We’re extremely excited to now call her a part of the FIVEaa family,” he said.
It’s been an up and down couple of years for Lee at the ABC, who with Beilharz, replaced Ali Clarke in January 2022.
They enjoyed a dream start to the role, securing 18.8 audience share points in their first survey to clearly win the timeslot.
But almost two years on, the duo has shed almost half their listeners, with industry insiders calling for shake-up to ABC’s breakfast show in September.
ABC radio ratings have been in decline across the nation, with some industry analysts blaming a lack of political balance.
In June, Lee called the national broadcaster’s decision to abolish state-based Sunday night news bulletins a “real shame”.
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