I saw last Friday that Perth’s 96FM had a big announcement on Monday morning. Despite ARN who owns 96FM doing some national restructuring of their Sydney and Melbourne GOLD Network breakfast shows, it didn’t cross my mind that Dean ‘Clairsy’ Clairs would be leaving. This Friday too, August 15.

Clairsy has been working in the industry more than four decades. He has works across the country from Bunbury to Canberra, meeting his on air co-host Lisa Shaw some 35 years ago, with the pair on air together at 96FM since 2021. The station was No 1 overall in Perth in the most recent GfK Radio survey 4. Clairsy and Lisa have around a 250K listening audience.

Clairsy said:

“From the age of 16 I was lucky enough to know what I wanted to do and my obsession was to work at 96FM. 38 years later the legendary Gary Roberts gave me the chance to do that. I also got to work with my long-time friend Lisa Shaw. You can’t buy the kind of chemistry we have together.”

There is nothing to suggest that Clairsy is retiring and the one week notice of his departure suggests more news to come.

96FM Content Director Greg Edgeworth said:

“Clairsy is one of the most respected and genuinely loved figures in Australian radio. He brings heart, humour and humility to everything he does. He’s been instrumental in 96FM’s incredible success over the past few years and will always be a part of the station’s story. We wish him nothing but happiness in this next chapter.”

Lisa Shaw will continue on 96FM Breakfast. Details of a new co-host will be revealed by Clairsy and Lisa this Friday.