Former 2GB afternoon host Chris Smith to join Sky following ‘very emotional’ radio departure

Chris Smith has revealed his next big project after finishing up as 2GB’s afternoon radio host for more than 15 years. Smith says the “sadness and anger” following his shock departure from 2GB have “evaporated”.

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Former talkback radio host Chris Smith says the “sadness and anger” following his shock departure from 2GB have “evaporated” as he prepares for a new role filling in on Sky’s the Bolt Report.

Smith will fill in for Sky host Andrew Bolt for the next fortnight following intense speculation about his future after Sydney broadcaster 2GB formally announced it was cutting ties last month.

New gig: Chris Smith will fill in for Andrew Bolt.

After more than 15 years in the afternoon radio timeslot, Smith said he believed the second half of 2019 could be “some of the best months of my life”.

“The timing for me couldn’t be better,” he said.

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“I was going to go and sit on a beach somewhere for a month but it looks like I’ll have to put that on hold, but (filling in at Sky) is very exciting, I’m a huge admirer of Andrew’s.”

Of his 2GB farewell party last week, Smith said it was “very emotional” and included a “really good bunch of quality people”.

Chris Smith at his farewell party last week.

“The sadness and the disappointment have evaporated, I’m so past it, it’s not funny,” he said.

It marks the end of a destabilising time for Macquarie Media, the radio station’s parent company, which announced it was re-signing breakfast show king Alan Jones on a two-year contract worth a whopping $8 million in May after months of talks.

Macquarie sources previously told The Daily Telegraph 2GB hoped to move Smith to the evenings timeslot and replace him with Steve Price. However a shift swap would not have suited Smith, who has four young children.

Smith said he now has a number of projects in development, including a possible writing gig with news.com.au and a radio idea he’ll be pitching to networks.

Chris Smith had a farewell party with a “really good bunch of quality people”.

“It’s funny when you’re in a job in a long time, which I was, you come up with ways to do other things but you never act upon it, and it’s only when a door closes, that great new doors open.”

Just before his official departure, Smith went on an Atlantic cruise with 100 listeners.

“They really helped me process the whole thing,” he said.

“By the time I landed back to Sydney, I had pages of lists of things I was about to do, approaches to people and radio and television ideas written down I’d sort of got to that point, it sort of erased everything that occurred in the final days at 2GB for me.

“There’s no anger or disappointment left.”

Smith said he was “humbled” by the outpouring of support from loyal listeners.

“It says a lot for spending 18 years in people’s lounge rooms, kitchens and cars, you create a bond don’t think many other platforms of the media create,” he said.

“And I hope some of this people can come and join me as I fill in (on Sky).”

Smith said in his first episode filling Bolt’s “massive shoes” he would focus on nuclear power in Australia and how to “stop corruption in federal politics”.

“The whole Sky format excites me a great deal. I’d hope that maybe I could do more with the network because I love it,” he said.

Originally published as Former 2GB afternoon host Chris Smith to join Sky following ‘very emotional’ radio departure