Talkback star Ray Hadley reveals anguish at marriage bust up
He is the People’s Champion — but radio king Ray Hadley admits his aggressive manner off air was a factor in the destruction of his private life.
BEHIND the microphone, he is the People’s Champion — but radio king Ray Hadley admits his aggressive manner off air was a factor in the destruction of his private life.
Eighteen months after his painful marriage split and a $5.4 million battle over unpaid taxes, Hadley has confessed he was part of the problem.
“It was a matter of when it was going to disintegrate, not if it was going to disintegrate,’’ he told me this week.
“When marriages break down, it’s usually not because of one person. They break down because of two people.”
In an honest, warts-and-all interview, the top-rating 2GB star also:
REVEALED he might retire when his $2.6 million a year contract runs out in 2020: “One of the things I admire most in someone is knowing when to go”;
QUASHED speculation he wants to take over from Ray Warren as Channel Nine’s lead football commentator: “I’m very close to not calling football anymore”;
ADMITTED he and close mate John Singleton “exchanged unpleasantries for a certain time” after he criticised the media maverick for his boozed-up glassing incident with Hungry Jack’s billionaire Jack Cowin; and
CONFIDED that when Fairfax Media’s radio stations merged with 2GB, he told Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood his show was winning the ratings over 2UE because of plain hard work: “I said I notice that none of your broadcasters work public holidays.”
It’s been a “reflective time” for the hard-charging workaholic since he split from his wife of 21 years, Suzanne, who subsequently lodged an AVO against him and started a new relationship with assistant NSW Blues coach Matt Parish.
“There’s a whole range of reasons for that — I’m not going to apportion blame,” Hadley says, while undertaking his daily ritual of handfeeding two horses on his Dural rural estate.
“Everything is finished — kaput. I’m comfortable with that. I’m not angry about it.”
The 60-year-old father of four, who lives on his sprawling 6.5 acre property with his youngest daughter Sarah, understands he can be a difficult bloke.
“Sometimes you do come home with the shits,’’ he says. “There’s a certain lunacy to being on the trapeze without a net every day of my life (on talkback radio.)
“Sometimes my staff say, ‘Gee you’re complicated but I wouldn’t be as successful as I was if I wasn’t as complicated as I was’.”
Apart from fighting a tax battle with the ATO and a legal row with financial services business owner Michael Crismale, Hadley was also accused of bullying a junior assistant in 2013.
“I needed to be pulled into line because I was out of order,’’ he admits, adding the assistant Richard Palmer still works with him.
But Hadley, who hopes to record an astonishing 100 consecutive ratings wins next year, feels the pressure has eased in the wake of his divorce settlement. He will also finish paying back his ATO debts by October next year.
“(Macquarie Radio Network executive chairman Russell Tate said to me recently, ‘You’re a lot easier to get on with these days’.’’
“I’m at a place in my life now where I’m as happy as I’ve ever been ... I do most of my yelling on-air now as opposed to off air.’’
While working six days week during the football season, he says he socialises with a close-knit crew of 12 people, many who live close by, including Harvey Norman duo Gerry Harvey and Katie Page.
He looks forward to a low-key visit to his favourite pub, Rouse Hill’s The Brewery, or a night on the couch watching football: “I’m not someone you’ll find me at the Finger wharf (Woolloomooloo) or Machiavelli (restaurant).’’
But he says his friends fret that he’s spending time alone and are trying to line up dates.
“My very close friends are concerned for me — they don’t like me to be by myself,’’ he says.
“It’s got to the stage now where even my kids are trying to line me up with people.
“My son particularly gives me a hard time. We’ll be at the pub and there’ll be a really attractive, 25-year-old there and he’ll say, “She’s probably too old for you’’, taking the piss out of me.”
He says that after two marriages, he’ll probably never tie the knot again.
“I’m not looking for anyone — I’m very happy solo, but you can’t say never to a relationship because things can happen.’’
His immediate priority is helping his 18-year-old daughter Sarah complete her HSC. She was one of the main drivers of Hadley’s recent decision to sell the family pad, which includes an historic fully restored farmhouse as well as a five bedroom Denton Homes-built mansion. It is expected to fetch at least $7 million. “It’s just way too big for us,’’ Sarah tells me.
She is also the main cook in the Hadley household. “Do you want dinner tonight dad?” she asks, while skipping out to work a shift at the local McDonald’s. “Nah, I’m all good,” Hadley says. “I’m off to the pub with friends.”
SINGO & HARVEY’S $20M BET
Ray Hadley reveals one of his greatest delights is watching mates John Singleton and Gerry Harvey trade barbs.
“They’ve got this standing bet — it’s a massive amount of money,’’ he told me. “If Gerry dies first he’s got to put $20 million into Singo’s account and if Singo dies first, he’s got to put $20 million into Gerry’s account.”
“One of the things Singo gets to Gerry most about is that he’s got 2000 horses and not many of them can run fast.
“Singo’s got a much smaller number of horses and has a number of champions among them — that’s a sore point with Gerry.”
RAY HADLEY COMMENTS ON:
Mike Baird: “He certainly doesn’t ring and run things past me like others have — that’s probably a good idea. Outstanding Premier.”
Alan Jones: “We have a strange relationship. We would exchange 10 words a week ... it’s just that’s he flatstrap and so am I.”
Tony Abbott: “I think it was a really smart move on same sex marriage to have a referendum — at least half the people will think he’s a genius.”
Bill Shorten: “He can’t possibly be PM — there’s too many skeletons there.”
Tanya Plibersek: “Julia Gillard with blonde hair.”
GYNGELL’S NEXT MOVE
Seems Nine boss David Gyngell is already looking to off-load NRL matches he grabbed this week in a $925 million deal. Word is Gyngell has organised to meet new Ten CEO Paul Anderson next week. Of Nine’s four weekly matches, the most likely to be onsold would be the Saturday night game.
CASINO BILLIONAIRES DOUBLE DOWN
While James Packer is adamant his $2 billion Barangaroo resort remains his number one priority, another casino billionaire will soon be counting more chips in Sydney. Malaysia’s KT Lim, is likely to receive the green light from gaming authorities as early as next week to lift his 6.6 per cent stake in The Star’s owner Echo Entertainment to 20 per cent.
BONKERS IN HONKERS
Ian Smith, the ex-Liberal Party adviser, refugee advocate and hubby to former Australian Democrat Natasha Stott Despoja, is threatening to revive memories of wild expat life in Hong Kong before the handover. To celebrate his 50th birthday next month, Smith is staging a “celebration of empire” bash in HK. Those in danger of hangovers include pollie mates Alexander Downer and Nick Bolkus, banking bigwig John Wylie, media spinner Sue Cato and ex-News Corp flak Andrew Butcher.
KATIE GOES BLUEGRASS
Horse fan Katie Page is heading to Kentucky next month where she is co-hosting a dinner for 60 of the most influential women in North American racing. She is working with Barbara Thomason, the partner of Keeneland president Bill Thomason, who runs the world’s biggest thoroughbred auction house. Among those likely to be hearing about Page’s involvement in the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions yearling sale will be Texan billionaire Ramona Bass, who was listed as America’s richest racehorse owner in 2012, and Claiborne Farm’s Dell Hancock, where the legendary Secretariat lived. Page pulled off a similar event in London last year, attended by British royal Zara Phillips and star European trainer Criquette Head-Maarek.
GOSPER SCORES A GOAL
Football supremo Seb Blatter’s disgraced FIFA has called on a Noosa retiree to restore its reputation. Kevan Gosper, the 81-year-old former Sydney Olympics powerbroker, has scored a gig on FIFA’s reform committee. That’s grey power.
BOTTOMS UP
Elderton Shiraz was the first Barossa wine I fell for, thanks to an uncle who discovered the family-owned winery 30 years ago. So I was delighted to hear the Ashmead family’s pinnacle Elderton Command Shiraz 2010 was offered to the high-powered lunch guests of News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch at Rose Bay’s Catalina this week. Vines planted in 1894 produce waves of refined red and black fruits, spice and dark chocolate. Pure elegance.
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