Top contenders to replace Marty Sheargold in coveted Nova radio gig
Nova radio is set for a shake up to its award-winning drive shift with Kate, Tim and Marty making an emotional announcement live on air that the broadcast trio will split and a new host will join the show. TAKE OUR POLL
Confidential
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Marty Sheargold’s departure from Nova’s top drive show, Kate, Tim and Marty has set industry chatter into overdrive.
The big question is who will replace Sheargold when he steps away from the microphone in September.
It is a hotly contested job, considered one of the best in radio in Australia but there’s also huge pressure for Nova executives to get the right person for the job with the trio having notched up 26 consecutive radio survey’s as the top national afternoon show.
Confidential has comedian Joel Creasey at the top of our list, as well as Tom Gleeson and Merrick Watts with other names being suggested including Nazeem Hussein, Hamish Blake and Pete Helliar.
“I reckon every male comedian or anyone who has had radio experience, their name is being thrown in to the ring,” one insider noted.
Industry website Radio Today launched a readers poll on who will replace Sheargold with Creasey an early favourite.
“The national drive shift is expected to see a major shake up next year, which could see Nova chase a younger demographic, up against heritage names like Dave Hughes on the HIT network,” Radio Today editor Jake Challenor told Confidential. “The addition of a younger comedian like Joel Creasey could give Nova a fresh point of difference up against the more adult contemporary rivals.”
Other names being suggested include Wil Anderson, Amos Gil, Matty J, Matt Okine, Chris Brown, Sam Pang and Charlie Pickering.
Sheargold, 49, on Friday announced his departure live on air, sharing the emotional news with listeners and co-hosts Kate Ritchie and Tim Blackwell.
“Over the last four or five months I have been tossing up what I’d like to do in 2021 and I guess what I have decided to do is leave the show,” he said. “It is not a stitch up. I’ve decided that now is the time for me to stretch the legs as it were. I certainly feel as though I have aged out of this show if you know what I mean. Sometimes you have got to know when it is time to go, you don’t want to overstay your welcome.”
Sheargold will finish up on air on Friday, September 11. The Kate, Tim and Marty drive show has secured seven Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRA) in their years together.