Tom Elliott reveals pressure of taking over from top-rating broadcasting veteran Neil Mitchell
Melbourne 3AW mornings host Tom Elliott admits there’s pressure in taking over from top-rating veteran broadcaster Neil Mitchell.
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Melbourne 3AW mornings host Tom Elliott fondly recalls the sage advice he received from his predecessor, veteran broadcaster Neil Mitchell, when he first filled in for him more than a decade ago.
“Neil left a note on his desk that just said, ‘have fun, make sure you listen’ – with ‘listen’ underlined,” Elliott recalls.
“It was actually good advice.”
Elliott took over as the full-time mornings host on the Nine Entertainment-owned station three weeks ago in a job that he describes as “a dream come true”.
But he isn’t afraid to admit he has big shoes to fill.
Mitchell dominated the 8.30-noon mornings slot before retiring from the program after 33 years in December, winning the ratings contest for nearly the entire duration of his tenure.
It’s a record Elliott hopes to emulate.
“Only time will tell. I do what I do and if I do get the same ratings as Neil I’ll be thrilled. If I don’t do as well I’d be concerned, but it’s too early to tell,” Elliott said.
“I’m confident that I should be able to rate well.”
Before working in radio, Elliott was a finance executive. But guest on-air spots doing financial reports on programs hosted by Mitchell and Derryn Hinch caught the attention of 3AW management, and he eventually replaced Hinch as the station’s drive presenter in 2013.
The son of the late businessman and state and federal president of the Liberal Party, John Elliott, the 56-year-old said Mitchell had left him to his own devices despite the veteran continuing on at 3AW doing podcasts and a weekly radio slot.
“Neil and I agreed that once I took over it is my show and he’s been quite adamant about that,” Elliott said. “He’s still doing plenty of things around the network so it’s not like he’s suddenly gone but he’s given me heaps of tips and ideas over the journey and he still does that. But it’s a credit to him, he’s kept out of the program because he knows we’ve moved on.”
In Mitchell’s last survey of 2023, official GfK figures showed he had an audience share of 16.3 per cent, while in drive Elliott had an audience share of 10.2 per cent. This year, Elliott’s long-time rivalry with ABC’s Raf Epstein continues after Epstein took over mornings from Virginia Trioli in September, having moved from the drive program.
Elliott said his show would largely remain similar to his drivetime program, having brought his team of producers — James Szabo, Breanna Edebohls and one of Mitchell’s producers, Michael Hilder — across with him.
“I still do the same sort of show that I do, irrespective of timeslot. There’s more breaking news in the morning but I do my own type of show and you adapt, but it’s not dramatically different,” he said.
“Yes, there’s pressure. I’ve been involved in commercial media for over 20 years now, there’s always pressure. You’re expected to do well, so it’s not like that’s a new thing for me.”
One thing Elliott could muster that Mitchell couldn’t for nearly six years was an interview with the Victorian Premier, courtesy of the long-running feud between the veteran broadcaster and Daniel Andrews.
But with Mr Andrews gone, Elliott welcomed Premier Jacinta Allan in his studio, something he hopes will continue. “Jacinta Allan has committed to come on regularly, we will probably get eight to 10 in-studio interviews with her in a year but my experience with politicians is those sort of commitments are fine until they are not fine,” he said.
Elliott also has a weekly 3AW podcast with his wife Elise which he describes as a “lightweight counterpoint to the show” and he’s even made his debut on TikTok.
3AW launched its new TikTok account this year and already some of Elliott’s videos have been viewed more than 63,000 times.
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