Diane ‘Dee Dee’ Dunleavy and Peter ‘Grubby’ Stubbs end on-air pairing
They’ve been one of Australia’s most beloved on-air radio pairings for more than three decades. But Diane “Dee Dee” Dunleavy and Peter “Grubby” Stubbs are parting ways — this is why.
Fiona Byrne
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One of Australia’s most loved and enduring on-air radio teams is no more.
The iconic pairing of Diane “Dee Dee” Dunleavy and Peter “Grubby” Stubbs will end in January after 32 years.
The surprise split of the pair which made its name first at Fox FM and then Gold FM before spending the past eight years at 3AW, comes as Dunleavy moves to host 3AW’s afternoon shift.
“It is going to be a big jolt for a lot of people and we are very conscious of that, but a big part of my accepting this new role was being comfortable that Grubby was OK with it,” Dunleavy said.
“That is not to say that I asked him permission, but he is my mate and he has been my on-air partner for 32 years, and so it was a big factor in my decision in separating from him.
“I have to say (he) has been exceptional in every single way in pushing me out of the nest, in telling me: ‘Go, you are ready for this.’
“We have both ended up happy, but it was really important to me to know that he was happy with what has happened.”
The pair started working together in 1988 as part of the Fox FM Morning Crew.
They moved to Gold FM, starting on air in April 1999, and hosted breakfast on the station for 12 years. In 2011 they joined 3AW.
Dunleavy, arguably the queen of Melbourne radio, said she hoped her audience had followed her career across stations.
“The audience that listened to me on Fox FM back in the ’80s when they were on their way to high school grew up a bit then listened to Gold and now they have grown up again we are all here at 3AW,” she said.
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She said the key to her success, apart from having a wonderful on-air partner, was holding fast to the idea of “live and local.”
“Radio is not that hard. It is about live and local and you want someone to relate to who you feel shares the same kind of life that you live and that is me,” she said.
“I am just the mum down at the shops buying ham for everyone’s lunches.
“I am not a ranty, angry person, but I do have opinions on things. The bottom line is ‘let’s have some fun’.”
Dunleavy will kick off her new role on January 13, 2020.