Red Symons dumped from ABC radio breakfast show

Red Symons announces on air he’s been dropped from his radio breakfast show. ‘Why am I going? They haven’t said.’

Red Symons has been in the role for 15 years.

ABC radio broadcaster Red Symons has been fired from his Melbourne breakfast show.

The former Skyhooks guitarist made the shock announcement on air this morning, telling listeners he had been sacked with no explanation.

“This will be my last year,” Symons said. “Why am I going? They haven’t said, and I haven’t asked.”

The presenter, who has been in the role for 15 years, was offered an alternative position with the public broadcaster, but declined. “Other things have been offered here but I think it’s better to make a clean break.”

“I shall miss you, dear listener. Thank you,” Symons said at the end of his shift today.

It comes five months after Symons apologised for controversial race comments made on air.

In June, the former Hey Hey It’s Saturday star had asked ABC RN host Beverly Wang if she was “yellow”, and posed the question: “What’s with Asians?”

Symons said at the time his comment to Wang had unintentionally come across as racist, which was “not who I am”.

The broadcaster suffered a head injury in July and spent two months recovering before returning to work.

Listeners responded to the news of Symons’ impending departure, tweeting and phoning in to voice their support and declaring the broadcaster “irreplaceable”.

Symons’ final show will be on December 8.

Big news and sad news. We'll miss him.

Red Symons announces he is leaving ABC Radio Melbourne https://t.co/03Zy0ZfQ5j pic.twitter.com/dOacY6WMU1

— rafael epstein (@Raf_Epstein) November 30, 2017

Red Symons leaving @abcmelbourne. The early hours won’t be the same! pic.twitter.com/6DTpwYuBWN

— Dan Ziffer (@danziffer) November 30, 2017

Been a wild ride. The best ride . @RedSymons pic.twitter.com/AAusb6AJRX

— Katrina Palmer (@palmkat) November 30, 2017