Robin, Kip and Corey Oates axed from KIIS 97.3, with bold new breakfast show confirmed

Radio bosses insist the axing of Robin Bailey, Kip Wightman and Corey Oates from KIIS 97.3FM on Thursday does not pave the way for Kyle and Jackie O. But industry insiders say otherwise.

KIIS 97.3's former breakfast trio Kip Wightman, Robin Bailey, and Corey Oates. Picture: Liam Kidston

• History: 40 years of sackings

Brisbane breakfast radio trio Robin Bailey, Kip Wightman and Corey Oates are shock casualties of the latest industry bloodletting, their KIIS 97.3FM show sensationally axed on Thursday.

Station bosses say they will be replaced by local voices, but other radio insiders say it’s only a matter of time before Kyle and Jackie O are moved into the Brisbane market.

Despite the abrupt decision, the trio were performing solidly in the ratings, with their most recent GfK radio survey showing a 10 per cent breakfast share, well above the station’s overall average of 8.3.

Robin Bailey meets a friend at South Brisbane after her program’s shock axing on Thursday morning. Picture: Liam Kidston

Industry observers have questioned the timing of the move, particularly given the show’s relative stability in an otherwise competitive market.

Speculation had long swirled that Sydney power duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O would be networked into Brisbane after signing a record-breaking deal with ARN earlier this year. However, ARN has reiterated that the upcoming KIIS 97.3 breakfast program will remain “live and local.”

Insiders have questioned the timing of the trio’s axing. Picture: Instagram

The new line-up is expected to be unveiled at ARN’s annual Upfront event next week, with insiders hinting the network is chasing a “high-energy” Brisbane-based format to anchor the city’s 2026 radio ratings battle.

Bailey, one of Brisbane radio’s most familiar voices, first joined KIIS in 2013 after more than a decade on air with Triple M and 97.3’s earlier incarnation Robin, Terry & Bob.

Wightman, joined the station in 2022 following a 15-year stint with Nova.

Neither Bailey, Wightman nor Oates have publicly commented on the decision.

Bailey with a friend at South Bank on Thursday afternoon. Picture: Liam Kidston

Just hours after news of the show’s axing became public, Robin Bailey was spotted looking downcast while speaking on the phone near her Brisbane home.

Later that afternoon, she was seen sharing a quiet drink with a friend at a South Bank bar.

While ARN has confirmed in its statement that the new line-up will feature local talent, it is understood the network is setting the stage for a national takeover by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson following the axing of Robin, Kip & Corey in Brisbane.

Sources close to ARN told The Courier-Mail the controversial Sydney duo could extend their KIIS network broadcast into Brisbane by the end of the first quarter of 2026, with a temporary local show expected to fill the gap until then.

The source said it was “not a matter of if, but when” Kyle and Jackie O would enter the Brisbane breakfast market, despite the pair struggling to gain traction in Melbourne, where they have also been syndicated.

No announcement has been made regarding whether Bailey, Wightman or Oates will transition to other ARN programs or depart the network.

ARN are also expected to next announce the axing of their Adelaide breakfast show, further paving the way for the national syndication of Kyle and Jackie O.

The KIIS shake-up comes just days after a string of tough cuts at rival talk station 4BC, which has farewelled two of its key hosts in recent weeks.

Mornings presenter Bill McDonald was the first to go, announcing on-air in late September that his September 26 show would be his last and that he would not be returning.

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.

It’s understood the veteran broadcaster was informed his contract would not be renewed, ending his tenure less than two years after joining the network.

Then, just weeks later, breakfast host Peter Fegan was given his marching orders in what insiders described as a swift and unexpected move, confirmed in an internal email to staff late Friday morning, only hours after wrapping up his show telling listeners he’d “be back Monday.”

Fegan’s exit comes just a year after he was announced as the replacement for long-running breakfast trio Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare and Mark Hine, who were also axed as part of the station’s overhaul in 2024.