Annette Sharp: 2GB announcer Chris Smith sleeps in after State of Origin

Chris Smith’s post-State of Origin sleep-in on Thursday topped off a tumultuous week for the 2GB radio announcer, writes Annette Sharp.

AT 9.54pm on Wednesday night, veteran media broadcaster Chris Smith was in typically forthright form on Twitter during the State of Origin final. “13 mistakes now to NSW. They don’t deserve to win #StateofOrigin,” the shock jock posted.

Nineteen minutes later, at 10.13pm, he was still hammering the point: “14 terrible mistakes to NSW. You do not deserve to win.”

By 10.21pm, the decider over with the scoreline reflecting Queensland’s 22-12 victory, New South Welshman Smith appeared to be celebrating his home team’s loss: “Happy tonight. Bet on Qld and won big time. Never back NSW at Suncorp. Never,” he posted.

While Smith may have been full of bluster on Wednesday night, seven hours later the shock jock, who has been filling in for Ben Fordham in the 2GB breakfast slot, was suspiciously absent from his chair at 2GB as Coldplay’s 5.30am musical opener played on and on.

Eventually Nine Radio’s midnight to dawn anchor (and unsung hero) Michael McLaren, came to the mic — and the rescue.

Announcer Chris Smith told 2GB listeners to put the Coral Princess Covid cases ‘in perspective’.

“Chris would normally say ‘G’day G’day’ I think at this point, but Chris will be with you in just a moment. Yes I’m still carrying on, Michael McLaren, I’ll be here for another few minutes. Good to have your company as we get breakfast under way on this rather historic Thursday morning,” McLaren said.

For the next quarter hour McLaren, who works the longest shift on GB, soldiered on holding the fort in his sixth hour on air. McLaren recapped the State of Origin result, then read the weather and the petrol prices before a stammering Smith finally took his chair.

Ray Hadley did not hold back on his feelings about his colleague Smith’s comments. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“A very good morning to you, so much to … ahhh … talk and talk … this morning … so many … information … so much … so many stories to get across. I’ve just been across aahhh what’s been happening in terms of State of Origin. Wow. Can you believe it?” he stumbled. Behind the scenes, panic over Smith’s whereabouts had set in an hour earlier, this column has learned, when Smith failed to arrive and failed also to respond to anxious phone calls attempting to summon him to the station.

Finally a junior crew member was dispatched to the 59-year-old’s house to knock on his door and rouse the veteran from his post-State of Origin slumber.

On Friday Smith confirmed the sleep-in: “Yes, I slept through the alarm. Very tired … not the first time either and won’t be the last,” he said, adding he watched the Origin game at home before going to bed after the final try. He denied barracking for Queensland.

He added he had worked 16-hours days during the past week, covering for Fordham before clocking on for his evening TV show on Sky.

The Coral Princess left Brisbane International Cruise Terminal with a large number of Covid cases on board. Picture: Tara Croser

The sleep-in came a day after Smith copped a serve from his radio stablemate Ray Hadley over a disagreement concerning Covid protocols on-board newly docked cruise ship Coral Princess.

On Wednesday Smith, a cruise spruiker who hosted a European cruise on behalf of Travelrite International in 2018 and another from New York to London in 2019, told Fordham’s audience not to panic about the Coral Princess docking in Sydney.

“Put it in perspective: there are only 118 positive cases on the Coral Princess,” he said.

It prompted a swift rebuke from Hadley in his morning show immediately after, with Hadley labelling “one of my colleague’s” comments as “foolish”.

“I’m almost embarrassed I’m on the same broadcast network as that bloke,” Hadley said.

On Thursday, after his late start, Smith returned serve, urging listeners “put (the outbreak) in perspective”, and taking a dig at Hadley for being “alarmist”.

On Friday Smith denied having an undisclosed association with a cruise company, but confirmed he had twice been a guest host on cruises, with the cruise company paying his fare.

He denied it was a paid job.

“I have no connections to any cruise company at all and never have,” Smith said, seeing no conflict of interest.

“I often read commercials for cruise companies that advertise on 9 Radio, it’s part of my job — but I couldn’t care less whether the industry thrives or not.”

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