3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell will finish hosting his morning program in December

The broadcaster will exit his program amid a 3AW overhaul, while Virginia Trioli has revealed her ABC replacement.

Radio host Neil Mitchell in the 3AW studios in Melbourne. Picture: David Geraghty

Veteran broadcaster Neil Mitchell will depart his 3AW mornings program at the end of the year, a decision he said he made himself.

The 71-year-old announced on his program on Friday that he would finish up hosting mornings in December, and his departure comes after a lifetime of working in the media.

ABC Melbourne’s mornings host Virginia Trioli also announced that she will be replaced by drive host Rafael Epstein when she steps down on September 15.

The mornings timeslot shake up will see Mitchell remain at the Nine Entertainment-owned station doing other roles and his last show will be on Friday, December 1.

“I am stepping down from the morning program on 3AW and I’ll stand aside in three months in early December and I’ll go onto other roles with the Nine Network,” he told listeners.

“I’m not going to do a Gill McLachlan, I’m going to finish up in December, three months away, no more, I’m not doing a Damien Hardwick, I’m not going to pop up on Radio National next year.

“Contrary to a lot of reports, it’s entirely my decision, in fact the management has attempted to convince me to stay which I’m very grateful, there’s a few times over the years management had a very different view to that.

“I’m looking forward to a new role next year.”

Mitchell will continue recording his weekly podcast, Neil Mitchell Asks Why, and will appear on 3AW shows.

His mornings program has had 219 radio survey wins across three decades.

Mitchell’s replacement has yet to be announced, but speculation is that his slot will be filled by 3AW’s drive host Tom Elliott.

The station has been running numerous ads featuring Elliott throughout Mitchell’s program in recent days.

Mitchell has remained the one of the most dominant broadcasters in Melbourne and his mornings program is easily the most popular program, it had an audience share of 20.1 percentage points in the latest results, increasing by 3 percentage points.

He began working at 3AW in 1987 and he has hosted the mornings program since 1990.

Mitchell told listeners it wasn’t an easy decision to make after 36 years working in radio.

“I love this job, but apart from my family, journalism has been my life,” he said.

“I was very lucky, radio and 3AW are my home, but after 54 years of daily journalism and daily deadlines the legs are getting a little bit tired of pedalling, I can only work one way and that’s flat out.

“I can only give 100 per cent, as I’ve often said I drive myself and my staff hard, I would hate to work for me.”

Mitchell’s announcement comes just three months after the station sacked popular Melbourne afternoons host Dee Dee Dunleavy after management decided not to renew her contract at the end of the year.

A permanent host for her show has yet to be announced.

Trioli announced on Thursday she was departing her program after four years in the role – she took over from veteran broadcaster Jon Faine in 2019.

Virginia Trioli is also departing ABC Mornings.

Sources have told The Australian, ABC executives remain extremely concerned about its trouble-plagued radio arm which has been hit by falling ratings in recent years.

The ABC has set up a widespread radio review, led by head of corporate strategy, Jeremy Millar and they are continuing to work on ways to implement changes and try and claw back listeners.

In the latest radio ratings, published by GfK, Trioli had an audience share of 7.5 percentage points and the program was fifth in its slot, while Epstein’s drive show had an audience share of 6.7 percentage points and was equal seventh in its slot.

Epstein described Trioli as “fearless” and said he was looking forward to taking over the role.

“I couldn’t follow a better person, I followed you on drive and I’m following you on mornings,” he said.

“You are handing to me this precious vessel … I’m just really excited.

“We know how important this place is, we know how much people value what we do, we know that because of the way the other people who are competing for eyeballs and ears attack us all the time.

“We are the most accountable media organisation in the country by far.

“I actually think that every time the other people who want some of our listeners and readers attack us, it’s just proof that we are doing the right stuff.”

Epstein, who has hosted the drive since 2012, will be replaced by Ali Moore when he takes over the mornings program from September 18.

Moore will host drive until the end of the year.

ABC Melbourne had an overall audience share of 7.1 percentage points in the latest results and is rated seventh in the Victorian capital.