Sacked, punted and shock walk outs: The 10 high-profile exits that rocked Qld
From a war of words to a crude drawing and public lobbying, these are the Brisbane identities who pulled no punches in their high-profile departures.
Lifestyle
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Sackings, axing and resignations have always been par for the course in any business, but when it comes to the entertainment industry they enter public discussion.
And on many occasions that discussion makes headlines with dirty laundry being aired, disagreements coming to light and war of words being played out via media statements.
From Kip Wightman’s recent breakfast radio switch to the radio bust-ups before him, Wayne Bennett’s ugly end with the Broncos and a crude drawing left at a television studio, The Courier-Mail has taken a look back at the high profile Brisbane identities who pulled no punches in their departures.
KIP WIGHTMAN, NOVA 106.9
Despite initially saying in October that he resigned from Nova 106.9 after 15 years to spend time with his young son, Kip Wightman signed to a rival breakfast show on 97.3FM within three months.
He later told Qweekend he hadn’t been happy at Nova for at least 18 months and felt there was “no space” for him on the Ash, Kip, Luttsy & Susie breakfast show anymore.
“There’s definitely an element of that show that wants to see if they can do it without me, so let’s see how they go,” he said.
He also revealed he didn’t spend time with his co-hosts outside the studio and will “continue that tradition”.
Nova continued to wish Wightman well and said he was an “important and influential” part of the show since its beginning.
ROBIN BAILEY, 97.3FM
In 2016, stalwart presenter Bailey was sacked from the 97.3FM breakfast show after protracted contract negotiations, sparking a public war of words between Bailey and ARN.
In the wake of her axing after 10 years on air, Bailey released a scathing statement saying it was a “complete shock” and that she was “blindsided” by the decision not to renew her contract.
“After minimal feedback during a protracted negotiation period at no stage did ARN make me any offer for 2017,” she said.
ARN national content director Duncan Campbell said the station said they were unable to agree to terms during long negotiations.
“While we worked hard to keep Robin as part of the team, we’re disappointed that we were unable to agree terms,” he said in a responding statement.
“Unfortunately, based on the information ARN was consistently given throughout the negotiation process, we were led into a position where we were unable to proceed with contract renewal.”
Co-host Terry Hansen subsequently walked away from breakfast radio at the time and Bailey joined rivals Triple M the following year.
In a sensational backflip 97.3FM reinstated Bailey in 2020 following declining ratings to revive their breakfast show alongside returning co-host Hansen and Bob Gallagher.
BIANCA DYE AND MIKE VAN ACKER, 97.3FM
Before they reinstated Bailey and Hansen, the Australian Radio Network axed breakfast presenters Bianca Dye and Mike van Acker in late 2019 as well as executive producer Liam Renton.
They cited a need for a “different direction” for the shock decision following a three-year ratings struggle.
Dye, who was still on contract and would be redeployed with ARN in “a new capacity”, and Van Acker were blindsided and workers seen crying in the car park.
Dye spent six months in limbo off the air before being released and signed to SeaFM on the Gold Coast.
“It’s not easy. It’s so public and your ego gets bruised,” she said at the time.
“Although I was kind of devastated by the decision, I didn’t see it coming, there were no hard feelings for me really because this is showbiz.’
“At first it felt personal but after you take time to reflect you see they did what they had to do.”
Meanwhile Van Acker developed a stand-up comedy show called Sacked to detail his booting from 97.3FM.
“I knew it would be the elephant in the room anyway so I thought I may as well throw it together, write about what I know and what people want to hear anyway,” he said at the time.
BILL MCDONALD, CHANNEL 7
Both Seven and McDonald maintained they parted ways amicably after six months of contract negotiations in 2018.
The news anchor, who had presented the 6pm news alongside Sharyn Ghidella since 2013, was dumped from the network after protracted negotiations about ratings and pay.
“We came to the realisation that it was time for us to make a change and for Bill to explore other potential opportunities,” Seven news and current affairs boss Craig McPherson said at the time.
Meanwhile in a statement, McDonald said the change allowed him to explore opportunities in sport and “be more present in my growing media company”.
However the following week a photo of a crude drawing left on the network’s “farewell wall” at the Mount Coot-Tha studio surfaced.
The drawing depicted a hand “flipping the bird” and was signed “Bye from Bill” and listed the same date as his last day on the desk.
A Seven spokesman said the drawing was done in jest and both parties maintained the parting was amicable.
WAYNE BENNETT, BRISBANE BRONCOS
It was arguably the most high profile axing in recent history when Brisbane Broncos master coach Wayne Bennett was sensationally sacked over voicemail on a Sunday night in late 2018.
Broncos boss Paul White had been unable to contact the veteran coach to inform him of the club’s decision that day.
It ended a month-long stand-off over a coach swap with South Sydney, which happened a season earlier than planned.
Bennett had held a media conference on the Friday, during which he announced he would stay on next year at the Broncos, a statement contrary to the club’s plans.
And when it was revealed that weekend that Bennett had been talking to Souths players about pre-season plans for the next season, the club moved on him and sacked him.
The Broncos determined this was a clear breach of Bennett’s contract and meant he was likely to lose a hefty payout for the final year of that deal.
“I made multiple phone calls and unfortunately I had to communicate the decision over voice message and email,” White said in an emotional press conference.
“You might ask was that disappointing? Yes it was. But such was the nature of this whole issue, it was important we had it resolved, particularly before the players return (on Monday).”
Since then Bennet has taken swipes at Brisbane officials over his ugly exit from the club.
“I will say, publicly, (Brisbane) undermined me in their conversations with Souths,” he said last year.
“So they didn’t do a little job on me they did the best possible job they could have done on me.”
It was a sad end to a long and successful legacy for Bennett at the Broncos.
“RANGER” STACEY THOMSON, TOTALLY WILD
In early 2021 stalwart presenter “Ranger” Stacey Thomson was left “shell-shocked” when Ten axed Totally Wild after almost 30 years on air to move towards children’s drama programs.
Thomson was in tears when she was pulled aside at Ten’s Mt Coot-tha studios as a courtesy before joining her colleagues in a meeting about the decision.
She believed it was a premature end, and the show would have benefited from “a better timeslot or just a little bit more love”.
“There’s nothing really here for me, unfortunately,” she said.
“I didn’t think it would be as brutal as what it was with so many involved losing their jobs. It was heartbreaking.
“To me I think it’s the wrong decision. There’s nothing wrong with drama but I think that kids benefit from the show.”
GLENN TAYLOR, CHANNEL 10
Channel 10 newsreader Glenn Taylor was sacked in 1998 for making an inappropriate comment on air, a matter which ended up in court.
In that incident, co-anchor Mary Louise Theile announced a swimmer found to be using drugs had been suspended, to which Taylor added “by the testicles”.
Taylor, who had read Ten’s bulletin since 1991, said he thought he was off air at the time and “it’s commonplace for newsreaders to talk about the news”.
He reached an out-of-court settlement with the station over his sacking the following week.
Theile later got caught in a faux pas when she called her surgeon husband an “arsehole’” on air in 2000, but managed to keep her position.
Taylor at the time got picked up to front Channel 9’s Brisbane public affairs show Extra, still lamenting Ten’s decision to sack him.
“It was most unfair, a crazy decision,’’ he said at the time. “The only reason it (her faux pas) was front-page was that I was sacked and she wasn’t.’’
JAMIE DUNN, 4BC
Long standing Brisbane radio host Jamie Dunn ended up in a war of words with 4BC executives when he was axed from the station in late 2010.
The station had released a statement following the show that Dunn and co-host Ian Calder had been released from their agreements “pursue other opportunities”.
But Dunn quickly argued against the statement, saying “someone made up my mind for me” and they were instead let go during a post-show meeting.
“I wasn’t aware it was coming,” he said at the time. “They took the opportunity to enact a ‘see you later’ clause. It was a very opportunistic move on their part to let us go.”
4BC program director Chris Adams continued to stand by the station’s statement, which further disappointed Dunn considering they didn’t have other opportunities lined up.
“I agreed to (release the statement). I didn’t want any bad blood,” he said.
“I would have liked the chance to go through to Christmas.”
Earlier in 2010, Dunn had launched an on-air spray about 4BC executives after reading an article in which the general manager at the time said he was “still learning talk radio”.
“God I am offended,” he told listeners. “I have had a gutful.”
4BC stood by Dunn at the time, with both parties saying they had patched up their differences.
LOCAL LIFESTYLE PROGRAMS, CHANNEL 7
Channel 7’s controversial decision to axe its slate of local lifestyle programs was a stoush with a rare happy ending.
In late 2019 the station’s then Queensland boss Ben Roberts-Smith called a meeting to inform the presenters and 71 production staff of programs Creek to Coast, Queensland Weekender and The Great Day Out that the shows had been axed.
The cost-cutting decision was to better resource new prime-time national shows, including returning reality franchises Big Brother and Farmer Wants a Wife.
Members of the shows were left in tears and considering their options after the shock axing.
The overwhelming backlash prompted Roberts-Smith and presenters including Creek to Coast’s Scott Hillier to begin lobbying sponsors for support.
By January 2020 a renewed Weekender and Creek to Coast were reinstated with sponsors footing the bill.
“I was absolutely devastated. It was hard to swallow,” Hillier said at the time.
“Is it (reality television) that much better than the local content? People want the real stuff.”
“Within one conversation I had assurances over the phone that we are happy to support Creek to Coast, we can’t lose it.”
JAY WALKERDEN, NOVA 106.9
Jay Walkerden and Nova 106.9 ended up in a lengthy court battle after the station sacked the former general manager in March 2020.
Walkerden had led Nova’s Brisbane office for eight years before it was revealed that month that he was under an internal investigation over an alleged incident during a work trip to the United States with the breakfast crew.
He did not return to the station and said he was devastated to find out via email that his time with the organisation was up.
He then lodged a claim against his former employer, arguing the station had breached his employment contract by failing to give him six months’ notice when he was sacked.
The matter was settled out of court in January 2021.
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