Ed Kavalee ‘permanently’ replaces Kate Langbroek on drive show

Longtime radio host Kate Langbroek was expected to return to Hughesy & Kate in 2020 – but will instead be replaced by Ed Kavalee.

Ed Kavalee has been announced as Kate Langbroek’s replacement on The Hit Network’s national drive time show.

The longtime radio host, 54, had been expected to return to Hughesy & Kate alongside Dave Hughes in 2020 after a year living in Italy, but the network has confirmed she’s decided to extend her stay for another 12 months.

Langbroek and Hughes have been co-hosts for more than a decade. Picture: Black and White Publicity

Langbroek’s decision means that Have You Been Paying Attention star Kavalee – who has been filling in for her since his 2 Day breakfast show Grant, Ed & Ash was axed in August – will now replace her “permanently”.

Kavalee will take over her role in 2020. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian

Langbroek moved to Bologna with her husband and four kids in late 2017, but managed to continue her on-air duties for months.

In recent times, she’s been a guest contributor, phoning in to the show to give updates on her life.

In a statement, Hit Network boss Gemma Fordham insisted that Langbroek would continue to be a part of Hughesy & Ed in 2020.

“I’m excited Ed Kavalee is a permanent addition to Drive in 2020 as he and Hughesy have a history and chemistry that is a joy to listen to,” she said.

“We are all obsessed with Kate’s Italian adventure and are living vicariously through her. She will continue to keep us updated via the phone across the year.”

During an interview on The Sunday Project in July, Langbroek revealed her touching motivation for moving her family of six to Italy.

“Our eldest son Lewis, who’s 15 now, and healthy and beautiful, had leukaemia when he was six, and was in treatment for four years, and nearly died. For so long we couldn’t go anywhere, we couldn’t travel anywhere — I mean we went to the hospital, we went home,” Langbroek explained.

“There seemed something really life affirming about having an adventure together as a family.”