New deal puts Ross Russ rumours to bed

Rumours over breakfast radio co-host Russel Howcroft’s future at 3AW have officially been put to bed, with a new deal about to be inked.

Russel Howcroft (right) is poised to ink a new two-year deal to co-host 3AW’s breakfast show alongside Ross Stevenson. Picture: Jason Edwards

Former ad man Russel Howcroft is setting his alarm for early starts for the next couple of years with his new deal as the co-host of 3AW’s top rating breakfast show about to be inked.

Howcroft has hosted the show alongside the king of Melbourne radio Ross Stevenson for the past two years and it continues to dominate its timeslot.

Despite wild rumours that he was poised to leave the show, Howcroft will officially put pen to paper this week to extend his commitment to the program by at least another two years.

Insiders described the deal as a “long-term, multi-year” commitment.

The further consolidation of Melbourne’s top rating breakfast radio team comes after rumblings started in May that a change was on the cards and that Mark Allen was likely to get a call up to the most coveted gig in Melbourne radio.

It was not to be, with the speculation proving to be wide of the mark.

Russel Howcroft will be setting his alarm early for at least another two years. Picture: Fiona Hamilton Photography

Allen has proven in recent months to be a brilliant fill-in host for the AW breakfast show when either Stevenson or Howcroft were away or absent due to illness.

He is a generous, informed and entertaining presenter who works well in the studio with both Howcroft and Stevenson and the AW audience has a genuine fondness for him.

It is a fortunate position AW finds itself in having such talent close at hand.

Howcroft joined Stevenson as 3AW breakfast’s co-host in August 2020 following the departure of Stevenson’s longtime sidekick John Burns.

Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft continue to dominate in the breakfast radio ratings. Picture: Facebook

The advertising guru was for many a surprise choice for the role, but Howcroft was serious about making the move into radio full-time, for what he described as “the best radio show in town, probably the best radio show in the country.”

He resigned as the chief creative officer of PwC and prepared himself for “one hell of a career change” when he joined 3AW.

Naturally there has been a period of adjustment and settling in as Howcroft learns the art of radio and he and Stevenson establish themselves as a team.

The show saw its ratings skyrocket at the peak of the Covid lockdown.

In the most recent radio ratings survey the Ross and Russ breakfast show had 19.1 per cent of the listening audience, well ahead of Gold FM in second place with 11.2 per cent.

“The pairing of Ross and Russel on AW breakfast has recorded record ratings for the station over the past two years,” 3AW station manager Stephen Beers said last month.

“We’re delighted that our existing listeners have embraced the new line-up, while also welcoming a new younger audience to the show.”