Hughesy and Kate to replace Hamish and Andy on the Hit Network

JUST hours after it was revealed that Hughesy & Kate will replace Hamish & Andy — the funny pair took to the airwaves to poke fun at their old boss.

AFTER this morning’s massive announcement KIIS FM drive hosts Dave Hughes and Kate Langbroek will defect to the Hit Network, ears were pricked to hear how the duo would acknowledge the news on their show Monday afternoon.

And the pair didn’t waste a minute — informing listeners at the beginning of their national drive program they’d be moving to Hit to replace Hamish and Andy when the boys wrap up at the end of the year.

“We’ll be sad to leave a lot of good people who work here at this network,” Hughes told listeners.

“But luckily there’s not a lot of them! Whooo!” Kate interrupted cheerfully.

Hughes tried to settle his co-host, telling her people would be “reading things into what’s being said here”.

“There’s a lot of great people who work on this show and we’ll be sad to leave them,” he reiterated.

Langbroek then began to play the Slim Dusty song Duncan, appearing to playfully poke fun at her boss Duncan Campbell — the longstanding ‎National Content Director of the KIIS Network.

As Hughes hushed his co-host and told her to turn the music off (“we’ll be very respectful on air,” he told her), Langbroek playfully assured him it was fine.

“Don't be paranoid,” she giggled.

The announcement of the veteran hosts jumping ship to the Hit Network was the answer to this year’s biggest question in radio.

Earlier Monday, it was confirmed Hughesy and Kate will move from KIIS FM to the Hit Network to replace Hamish and Andy when the boys leave radio at the end of the year.

The Project buddies, Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little, are staying with the Hit Network and will host their national show from 3pm to 4.30pm next year with Hughesy and Kate then taking over from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

“We are delighted one of radio’s most enduring and hilarious duets, Hughesy and Kate, are joining our new Drive line up for 2018,” the Hit Network’s Head of Content, Gemma Fordham said in a statement.

“To be able to also confirm Carrie and Tommy, a show which just gets better and better, really does give the Hit Network and its audience the best of both worlds in 2018.”

Kate Langbroek and Dave Hughes will replace Hamish and Andy on the Hit Network. Picture: Stephen Harman

Bickmore and Little (who currently host a show from 3pm to 4pm on the Hit Network) were previously considered the favourites to step up and replace Hamish and Andy in drive next year but news.com.au understands that Bickmore couldn’t make it work as she wasn’t prepared to give up her role on The Project.

There was also talk late last week that Sophie Monk was going to be a part of the new drive show on the Hit Network. That didn’t turn out to be the case but there’s a fair chance that the Bachelorette will make a return to radio next year in some capacity. Watch this space.

Tommy Little and Carrie Bickmore are staying with the Hit Network. Picture: David Caird

So who will replace Hughesy and Kate when they move from KIIS FM, where they currently host the national drive show to the Hit Network next year?

Sources connected to KIIS FM have suggested that the pair were told last week by the network that their services wouldn’t be required in 2018.

News.com.au understands their three-year contract had come to an end and the sources claim KIIS FM wanted to install a “younger” drive show to stand out next year in the competitive drive slot which will include: Nova’s Kate, Tim and Marty and Triple M’s Mick Molloy and Jane Kennedy.

As a result, KIIS FM has announced that Will & Woody (Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw) will host the national drive show on the network next year.

The two lads currently host the Hit 92.9 breakfast show in Perth.

Sources connected to Hughesy and Kate have rubbished the claims that KIIS FM chose not to re-sign the duo and instead suggested they jumped ship because of a VERY lucrative financial offer and the fact their show will be broadcast on 43 Hit Network stations around the country.

Will and Woody will replace Hughesy and Kate on KIIS FM next year.

But wait, there’s more.

ARN has also announced that there’ll be a new breakfast show in Melbourne on KIIS 101.1 FM next year.

Current hosts Matt Tilley and Meshel Laurie will be replaced in 2018 by Jason ‘Jase’ Hawkins and Polly ‘PJ’ Harding.

Jase and PJ currently host a radio show on ZM in New Zealand.

Jase Hawkins and PJ Harding are coming to Melbourne.

So, just to recap, here are the changes announced today:

• Hughesy and Kate to replace Hamish and Andy in the drive slot (4.30pm to 6.30pm) next year on the Hit Network

• Carrie and Tommy’s show to be extended from 3pm to 4.30pm on the Hit Network

• Will and Woody to replace Hughesy and Kate in the drive slot on KIIS FM

• Jase and PJ to replace Matt and Meshel on the KIIS 101.1 FM breakfast show in Melbourne