2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham reclaims top spot in Sydney

Nine Entertainment-owned radio station 2GB had a strong ratings survey that saw breakfast host Ben Fordham win back the top spot and Ray Hadley win his 150th consecutive survey.

Sydney talkback radio host Ben Fordham has reclaimed top spot in the ratings, knocking off Kyle and Jackie O’s show and recording his best result in 18 months.

In a stunning turnaround, Fordham’s 2GB breakfast program drew an audience share of 18.1 percentage points (up 3.1 points) to overtake KIIS 1065’s Kyle and Jackie O’s show, which fell 0.8 points to 17.1.

This is Fordham’s best result since survey two last year, when he drew an audience share of 18.9 percentage points.

Ratings data by research company Gfk showed the Nine Entertainment-owned station also reclaimed the title as the most popular station in the fourth ratings survey of the year, drawing an audience share of 14.3 percentage points (up 2.1), overtaking KIIS1065 at 12 percentage points (down 1 point).

2GB’s mornings host Ray Hadley also won his timeslot for the 150th consecutive time and had an audience share of 17 percentage points (up 1.5 points).

Hadley said on his program on Tuesday morning: “I’m thrilled to say that the Ray Hadley morning show is number one again for the 150 consecutive time”.

He said since 2004 his show had remained unbeaten and the previous record of consecutive ratings wins was held by former 2GB host Alan Jones who won 144 surveys in a row.

ABC Sydney continued to haemorrhage listeners – the station drew an audience share of 5.6 percentage points (down 0.9 percentage points).

The result comes at a time when ABC management are conducting a review into its performance of its radio stations around the country.

ABC Sydney’s breakfast program, hosted by James Valentine, saw its audience fall to 7.6 percentage points (down 0.7 percentage points), while the mornings program, hosted by Sarah Macdonald, also fell to 4.3 percentage points (down 1.1).

This is the worst ratings for her program since she began hosting mornings in 2023.

All the station’s programs had ratings that declined this survey.

In Melbourne, Nine’s 3AW remained the top-rating station with an audience share of 14.6 percentage points (down 0.7) and saw strong results from breakfast hosts Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft with an audience share of 19.2 percentage points, while mornings host Neil Mitchell dominated his timeslot with an audience share of 17.1 percentage points (down 1.1 points).

Broadcaster Dee Dee Dunleavy, who hosted 3AW’s afternoons program until she was axed by the station last month, saw her ratings fall by 1.1 percentage points to 11.8 and was the second most popular station in the timeslot.

3AW drive host Tom Elliott was just beaten by Nova 100 drive hosts, Joel Creasey, Tim Blackwell and Ricki-Lee Coulter.

The trio recorded an audience share of 11.5 percentage points (up 2.1), overtaking Elliott (11.4 percentage points (down 0.3).

ABC Melbourne’s mornings host Virginia Trioli had a slight dip in ratings, falling by 0.1 percentage points to 7.6, but overall the station’s listenership made a slight improvement in this survey, up 0.9 percentage points to 6.9 percentage points.

In Brisbane, Nine’s 4BC breakfast show hosted by Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare and Mark Hine continued on a downward spiral and dropped 0.7 percentage points to 6.7 and it is in seventh spot in its timeslot.

This is the program’s worst performance since it moved from 4KQ to 4BC in July last year and started with ratings of 11.8 percentage points.

Outgoing 4BC drive host Neil Breen also saw his ratings fall in his final survey, down 0.2 percentage points to 5.6.

In Adelaide, Triple M’s breakfast program hosted by Mark Ricciuto, Chris Dittmar and Laura O’Callaghan recorded an audience of 15.2 percentage points (up 0.1), ahead of FIVEaa’s David Penberthy (also a senior writer at The Australian) and Will Goodings and ABC Adelaide’s Stacey and Nikolai Beilharz.

Both showed recorded an audience share of 11.9 percentage points.

In Perth, NOVA93.7’s breakfast show hosted by Natalie Locke, Nathan Morris and Shaun McManus maintained the top spot in timeslot, recording an audience share of 20.8 percentage points (up 3.5).