Shock resignation from Mix 104.9 breakfast show amid rumours of duo’s rift

MYSTERY surrounds the real reasons behind the sudden departure of popular Mix 104.9 breakfast presenter Greg Vincent

The Mix 104.9 breakfast duo of Ali Burton and Greg Vincent has been broken up after the sudden departure of Vincent. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

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MYSTERY surrounds the real reasons behind the sudden departure of popular Mix 104.9 breakfast presenter Greg Vincent.

In a post online yesterday, Vincent said it was time for a change after nearly eight years at Darwin’s Mix 104.9.

“Thank you to the awesome team here. It’s been a blast,” he said.

“Time for new opportunities in and out of radio.”

The NT News understands that while Vincent and co-host Ali Burton seemed friendly towards each other on air, there was no love lost behind the scenes.

“Greg is a really good guy and it’s sad to see it end like this,” one source said.

“Ali is on her own at the moment so it will be tough for her until they find a replacement.”

Rumours had been circulating within the media industry for some time that all was not rosy with the breakfast duo.

A recorded message of farewell from Vincent was played to listeners on Katie Woolf’s 360 show on Mix 104.9 yesterday although the breakfast radio stalwart is believed to have left the station last week.

But NT Broadcasters general manager Michael Harvey told the NT News that Vincent’s departure was premeditated and he left the show on good terms.

Promos for Vincent’s Greg & Ali weekday show were still prominent on Mix’s website today

“While the decision of Greg’s departure may have come as a surprise to listeners, discussions about the Mix Breakfast team as a whole had been in progress for some time and this is pretty normal for breakfast teams,” he said,

“Being part of a radio breakfast team is an incredibly challenging environment, given the very early hours, and having to spend long amounts of time in a small room with the same person, they are very much like a relationship, and the daily pressures of maintaining listener numbers.

“As such most breakfast teams have lifespans of three to four years; we have been very happy that Greg and Ali had been able to maintain their breakfast team for the length that they did, but we always knew the day would come, as sad as it is.

“And beyond the normal on-air banter that existed between the two there was nothing else of any significance. Greg has left us on excellent terms.”

Mr Harvey said there were a number of people on the radar the radio station hoped could fill the void left by Vincent.

“There are a range of possible replacements for Greg (not that we can ever truly replace Vinnie) that we are speaking to currently from right across the country,” he said.

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“Grant Broadcasters is fully committed to maintaining a complete local line-up across both stations and the role will be filled soon, however the start date of the new team member will be confirmed at a later date.”

Burton will host the show solo over the Christmas period while a replacement is confirmed.