3AW overnight hosts Tony Moclair and Bianca Johnston bid farewell
The momentous changes at 3AW are continuing, with another popular duo abruptly announcing they will be replaced by a Sydney-based presenter.
Entertainment
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3AW’s Australia Overnight hosts Tony Moclair and Bianca Johnston have farewelled listeners after Nine Radio announced Michael McLaren as their replacement.
“In the ever changing landscape of the media, we are sorry to say that we (Tony and Bianca) will not be returning to Australia Overnight this year,” Moclair and Johnston, who hosted the nationally syndicated show from Melbourne, said in a Facebook post tonight.
“As of Monday, Michael McLaren will become the new host the show.
“Most importantly, we want to thank you for your company and for allowing us into your homes, cars, trucks and workplaces — wherever you may have been listening to Australia Overnight.
“We’ve valued your loyalty and contribution to the show,” Moclair and Johnston added.
“You’ve been a wonderful audience and as we all deal with this change together, we sincerely hope you extend the same warmth, generosity and passion that you have shown us to Michael McLaren and his team.
“The Overnight audience is a family whose support is essential to the fabric of the show.
Wishing you all the best. Thank you.”
McLaren, who is based in Sydney, will host Australia Overnight across 3AW, Sydney’s 2GB, Melbourne’s 3AW, and Brisbane’s 4BC.
Mumbrella reported Nine Radio’s head of content, Greg Byrnes, as saying: “I wanted to thank Tony Moclair and Bianca Johnston for the work they’ve done on 3AW overnights. We’re currently discussing other opportunities within the business with them.”
The change will start from Monday, with the program running from midnight until 5:30am during the week.
The latest shuffle at Nine Radio — formerly Macquarie Media — follows the sacking late last year of 3AW Weekend Overnight presenter Alan Pearsall, who had hosted the show for 29 years.
A disappointed Pearsall said he wasn’t given the chance to farewell listeners.
“I did ask whether I could do the weekend shift (to say goodbye), but they said they were going to find a little spot for me to say farewell,” Pearsall told the Herald Sun.
“I said that wasn’t going to be enough, so I left it be.”
He added: “I’ve been there for a long time. After 29 years, you make a lot radio friends. Even though you don’t know them personally, you feel like you’ve become part of their lives, and in many ways too, they’ve become part of my life.
“The people who call into all-night radio are a friendly mob, and they’ve given me a lot of joy for many years.”
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Pearsall’s departure also followed 3AW’s decision to scrap popular Melbourne show Nightline, hosted by Philip Brady and Simon Owens, after 30 years on air, two months ago.
Nightline has been replaced by 3AW Nights, debuting on Monday, hosted by Melbourne broadcaster Denis Walter.
Brady and Owens still host 3AW show, Remember When, on Sunday nights.
Pearsall was philosophical about the changes happening in radio.
“Networking is inevitable with radio. It’s happened in FM radio, they network all over the place. The ABC is network in the evenings through to breakfast,” he said.
“But I do believe Sydney and Melbourne are very different groups of radio listeners.”