Months of turmoil in Sydney radio leaves high-profile hosts high and dry

There’s been no announcement from 2GB about who will replace Ray Hadley, but there could be a left field way the broadcast veteran is replaced.

The sacking of popular radio announcers this week has resulted in one of the largest line up upheavals in the radio industry with almost two dozen familiar voices expected not to be heard by Sydney listeners in the new year.

Popular morning announcer Sarah Macdonald told listeners on Thursday that her contract won’t be renewed by management.

“I’m not going to be on the radio with you next year. The ABC has decided not to renew my contract,” Ms Macdonald said on air. “I will miss telling the stories to Sydney.”

It came after The Daily Telegraph exclusively revealed that Mark “MG” Geyer had been sacked from his Triple M breakfast show.

Based on this week’s sacking of Macdonald and Mark Geyer ratings, success doesn’t necessarily equal job security. Both of their shows - ABC mornings and Triple M breakfast - recorded strong rises of 2.1 per cent and 0.5 per cent, respectively, in the most recent radio ratings.

Mark Geyer’s sacking from Triple M came as a shock. Picture: Joel Carrett

Patricia Karvelas is leaving her ABC Radio National role. Picture: Twitter

Drive host Richard Glover is also leaving the ABC. Picture: ABC

Earlier this week KIIS FM chopped rising star Mitch Churi in an attempt to balance the books, and ABC weekend radio presenter Simon Marnie announced on social media that he too had been sacked.

“I can confirm that the ABC has looked at its weekend structure in 2025 and informed me they do not have a role for me in that structure. This came as a shock and I am still processing what it means for me.”

Meanwhile, 2GB stalwart Ray Hadley is preparing to step away from the radio mic next month after sharing his retirement news on November 7, while fellow radio veteran 2SM’s John Laws hung up the mic on his 71-year career just a day later.

Other voices not returning to the airwaves in 2025 include Triple M’s Gus Worland and Jude Bolton following co-host Wendell Sailor’s departure in July, while Richard Freedman and Candice Warner are still hopeful that there’s life left in their popular weekend sports opinion show Dead Set Legends after Brendan Annakin’s departure.

“We both love doing the show. And we’d love to keep doing the show,” Freedman told Confidential.

Rising star Mitch Churi was axed. Picture: Supplied

John Laws hung up his mic last week. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

2Day FM’s Mike Etheridge offered ‘no comment’ when asked by The Daily Telegraph about the future of the Mike E & Emma Show at Southern Cross Austereo.

From the ABC, Richard Glover and Patricia Karvelas have announced their departures, while 2Day FM’s Erin Molan, Dave Hughes and Ed Kavalee, and Nova’s Jamie Row and Dan Cassin are also listed to not return.

In the new year, some of these personalities will be replaced by presenters sitting in studios in either Melbourne or Brisbane.

Channel 10 newsreader Chris Bath will replace Richard Glover on the ABC Sydney drive show, and speculation in the radio industry suggests that Triple M is building a breakfast radio show around retired NRL star Beau Ryan.

There has been no announcement from 2GB about who will replace Ray Hadley, but it’s expected that management will fill his void with voices familiar to the station’s listeners by extending current presenters’ shifts.

Wendell Sailor, Jude Bolton and Gus Worland at Triple M. Picture: Tim Hunter

Commercial radio networks have previously stated that their stations are under revenue pressure.

Radio consultant David Rogerson says when he’s dealing with radio executives who want to save dollars, he reminds them that presenters in radio operate in a “creative industry where they should be considered an asset, not a liability”.

“If you’re replacing any on-air presenters, the new presenters better be damn good because they need to increase the ratings beyond where they currently sit in their market.”

One message is clear on talent costs. “The days of ridiculous money are gone”, 2SM Managing Director Despina Priala exclusively told The Sunday Telegraph.

As for the changes at ABC radio stations, the reasons for their line up changes haven’t yet been fully explained by management, but ABC Chairman Kim Williams flagged content changes in last month’s ABC board report.

“In order for the Corporation to serve the nation well in this era dominated by dramatic change, I and my board colleagues believe it is imperative to aim over the course of the next few months to develop an invigorated sense of purpose for contemporary relevance at the ABC which is drawn from the Charter and the other core elements of the ABC act,” he said.

Do you know more about this story? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]