Deb Knight opens up about her radio triumph

Journalist Deborah Knight weighs in on the reason she thinks she is dominating the radio ratings.

It’s been a big week for Deborah Knight. Not only did she finish up two weeks of precautionary isolation following her five-year-old daughter being confirmed as a close contact to a Covid case, but her afternoon show on 2GB jumped 4.2 share points in the most recent radio ratings report to give her a leading share of 12.7 per cent.

“It’s a real relief,” Knight tells Stellar On Friday of the results.

“I’m pretty chuffed because ratings dictate what we do and give you a real gauge on whether you’re resonating with listeners.”

“I’m leading the charge. It’s an enormous amount of responsibility.” (Picture: Deborah Knight for Stellar)

It’s the best result Knight has had in her 18 months helming the show, a job she took after leaving behind the co-hosting gig on Today. She says that as a journalist who was trained to deliver the news in black and white, sharing her opinions is something that’s taken some getting used to. But results like this give her confidence.

“It can be quite full-on to express your opinion and mount an argument on a wide range of topics daily.

I think Today was an entree into that world – and opened me up to talking about my own life and thoughts,” she says.

“Now I’m stepping into that with more confidence.”

It’s a particularly exciting result for Knight, considering talkback is a male-dominated medium.

“I feel really proud that I’m the first woman in the daytime slot on 2GB and I’m leading the charge. It’s an enormous amount of responsibility,” the 48-year-old broadcaster says.

Find more exclusives in this Sunday’s Stellar.

“But I believe it’s important to have a wide range of views. I bring a female voice, a working mother’s point of view and I’m one of the younger people on air. I feel proud I can bring those different points of view to the traditionally conservative world of talkback radio.”

Knight also currently hosts Saturday night’s A Current Affair and fills in for Tracy Grimshaw midweek. And that, she says, is enough – the journalist says she has no plans to take on any more roles.

“I’m happy to consolidate at the moment,” she adds.

“I’m in a good place with work.”

And that includes the role of teacher, though Knight says she’s keen for the day when she won’t have to homeschool her son Darcy, 12, and daughters Elsa, 10, and Audrey, 5.

“Let’s just say we’re all looking forward to getting back to normal as soon as possible!”