SEN’s David Schwarz and Mark Allen axed from drive show

AFTER 12 years at SEN presenter David Schwarz was told he had just five minutes to pack up his stuff and leave when his show was axed after he came off the air on Friday.

David Schwarz Picture: Hamish Blair

FORTHRIGHT SEN presenter David Schwarz says he is “still numb” after he was axed from the sports broadcaster after 12 years on the airwaves.

Schwarz and Mark Allen, who co-hosted the drive show The Run Home, were told their contracts were not being renewed by the station as they came off air on Friday evening.

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“We were sideswiped a little bit, we did not see it coming and, yeah, we walked off air and were told we weren’t going to be renewed so it was just really difficult,” the former Melbourne Football Club great said.

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“It was pretty brutal in the end. We were told and we had five minutes to get our stuff together and by the time I got to the front door, my email had been cut off and my pass had been cancelled and you are on to the next stage of your life.

Schwarz with Francis Leach.

Mark Allen.

“It was harder to walk away from SEN than the Melbourne footy club. With football I knew my time was pretty close, but with radio I still think I have lots to give.

“I am still numb. I came home to my family and they put it all back into reality for me and something else will come up.”

While he had not been given a reason as to why his show had been axed, Schwarz said leaving SEN would be a real change for his entire family.

“I just told the kids actually that Dad has been sacked,” he said.

“They don’t know any different. Since they have been born I have been on SEN. SEN has been my family. I loved working with Marko (Mark Allen, The Run Home co-host) who is simply the best. It was a privilege to go there each day and work and the people there were just outstanding. For a little radio station that batted above its average, it was full of just phenomenal people.”

And he said he was disappointed he had not had the chance to thank his listeners for their constant support over the past 12 years.

David and Karen Schwarz with children Indiana and Cooper. Picture: Nathan Dyer

“You are not just invested with the people you work with, but you are invested with the listeners,” Schwarz said.

“You get to know them and you get to share the most intimate happenings in their lives and in your own life with each other. Whether it is email or Twitter or them calling in, they are part of you.

Schwarz, top, on field in 1994.

“I loved SEN, it was like my second home. It is just really sad. It is hard to say goodbye.

“There is never a good time and I knew one day it would probably come, but it snuck up on us really fast.”

Allen said he was grateful for his 14-year career at the station.

“I am grateful to have been able to work at SEN since day one, for 14 years and be part of The Run Home for six years,” he said.

“I am looking forward to new adventures.”

SEN did not comment when asked about the change yesterday, although insiders said The Run Home had been consistently the station’s most profitable program.

It is doubtful this will be the last change at SEN, with Craig Hutchison’s Croc Media set to merge with Pacific Star Network, the owner of the sports radio station.

Mark Allen says he’s “looking forward to new adventures”.