Terry Hansen to leave 97.3’s Bianca, Terry and Bob breakfast show

ONE of Brisbane’s leading breakfast radio shows has been rocked by the shock resignation of one of its presenters.

Terry Hansen, right, is to leave the show he co-hosts with Bob Gallagher and Bianca Dye. Picture: Tara Croser.

TERRY Hansen has announced he is leaving 97.3 FM’s top rating breakfast show.

The long-time host, who presents alongside Bianca Dye and Bob Gallagher on the popular Brisbane breakfast show Bianca, Terry and Bob, announced on air on this morning that he had asked the station to be released from his contract early and will be leaving radio due to health reasons.

“They (97.3 FM management) were immediately supportive offering reduced hours and anything that might help me stay if I wanted to,” Hansen said.

“But I can’t half do anything and it would not be fair to Bianca and Bob and the new energy that has come into this show.”

In a lengthy monologue, he revealed the decision followed a period of increasing “constant and debilitating fatigue” as well as a 20kg weight gain in the past three to four years working in the job.

Hansen opened up about an incident that landed him in emergency last year, during which he experienced swelling in his right arm and was sent to hospital during the second half of their show one morning.

The swelling turned out to be due to a sprain but prompted a talk with a senior doctor.

“He spoke about the three pillars of a parent’s self-worth: work, family and yourself and I told him that I had made a conscious decision to focus on the first two,” Hansen said.

“And that, as a result, my work and my family were both in a great place now.

“He told me that in the process, I had compromised my health to a point that any serious challenge to it could result in ongoing health problems.”

Hansen said he and his family had come to the decision to prioritise his health and he wanted to feel “as well as I did five years ago” and he would therefore be leaving.

The shock announcement came just before this morning’s release of the results for the third radio ratings survey of the year, which revealed Nova 106.9’s Ash, Kip and Luttsy with Susie O’Neill had shot up from second to top spot in an extremely tight race.

The Nova breakfast team had gained 1 point to finish with a 12.6 per cent audience share.

HIT 105’s Stav, Abby and Matt and Hansen’s 97.3 FM’s show — which were tied in first place last survey — had slipped back to second and third respectively, despite having gained ground.

Stav, Abby and Matt 0.6 point increase left them just behind Ash, Kip and Luttsy with Susie O’Neill with 12.5 per cent audience share.

Bianca, Terry and Bob had a 12.3 per cent audience share following a 0.4 point increase.

In fourth spot was Triple M’s The Big Breakfast with Marto, Robin and The Moonman slipped 0.6 points to finish with a 10.4 per cent audience share.

ABC BRI, which went up 0.2 points, and 4KQ, which slipped 0.4 points, were tied in fifth on 8.8 per cent audience share

97. FM’s management expressed sadness at Hansen’s decision to leave and said there will be an announcement about his replacement in the coming weeks.

Hansen will continue on air with 97.3 FM for another month.