2GB Alan Jones in hospital with back pain

Radio broadcaster Alan Jones will be off air indefinitely as he seeks treatment in hospital. His absence comes after the latest radio ratings were released today and controversies surrounding the shock jock.

• Ratings: 2GB dips but still way out on top
• Last thing Opera House needed was Alan Jones
• Video: Alan Jones drops the N word

Radio broadcaster Alan Jones will be off air indefinitely as he seeks treatment for severe back pain in hospital.

The Sydney-based shock jock missed his regular 2GB and 4BC breakfast show yesterday and again today.

Ben Fordham, host of 2GBs drive show, told The Daily Telegraph: “Alan has more backbone than anyone I know so I am sure he is going to make a full recovery. We need him back on the air.”

Macquarie Radio CEO Adam Lang said: “Unfortunately, Alan Jones AO is unwell at the moment and receiving care in a hospital. We hope that Alan is as comfortable as possible and that he has a swift recovery.”

Veteran radio announcer Alan Jones. Picture: John Feder

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Jones had surgery on his back in November 2016 and several subsequent neck operations, forcing him off air for four months.

“He’s currently in hospital being treated for severe back pain,” his fill-in Chris Smith said this morning.

“His doctors are working to establish exactly what the problem is. The end result is he’ll be back as soon as he can but we’re not sure exactly when that will be.”

Meanwhile, with GFK radio ratings released this morning, Jones’ breakfast program has taken a hit dropping 1.5 percentage points. He does however remain the king of Sydney radio, holding on to 17.5% of the market. In the seventh of a total of eight surveys for 2018, 2GB overall remains at the top with a share of 14.1 per cent, well ahead of its nearest competitors, SmoothFM and ABC Sydney at 8.8 per cent of the market.

Louise Herron was at the centre of Alan Jones’ controversies. Picture: Craig Wilson

Yesterday, The Australian reported Jones had been sensationally disciplined by the board and management of Macquarie Media, which refuses to confirm or deny if it has forced its star breakfast presenter to pay some of the costs of the multi-million defamation action brought against the company by the Wagner brothers.

The 2GB breakfast announcer’s now infamous interview with Sydney Opera House boss Louise Herron was “unbecoming and inappropriate”, the paper reported bosses as having told Jones.

It also reported the board is unhappy with the top-rating veteran broadcaster over three incidents: the Wagner defamation case; the use of the racial epithet “n**** in the woodpile” when discussing Liberal leadership turmoil; and the aggressive Herron interview.

2GB presenter, Ben Fordham, host of 2GBs drive show, told The Daily Telegraph: “Alan has more backbone than anyone I know.”

Commentator and Mediaweek editor James Manning said today that “there’s not a chance in hell that Macquarie would ever drop Alan Jones.”

“He would have to misbehave very spectacularly for that to happen. He is the driving force of the station and has topped every ratings survey for decades,” he added.

2GB radio celebrates 10 straight years as Sydney's number one radio station in 2014.