News reader Steve Barker has resigned, and today Friday the 13th, was also Drive presenter Peter Gleeson‘s last day as he take up the role as the new CEO of the Q Greyhound Complex. Nine CEO Mike Sneesby also stood down yesterday, with his last day the end of this month.
Now Nine Radio have announced that Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare and Mark Hine will wrap up on 4BC breakfast, just over two years since they were reunited there after the Sports Entertainment Group (SEN) bought classic hits station 4KQ, where the trio had been on air for a collective 77 years.
Head of Content for Nine Radio, Greg Byrnes, said:
“Laurel, Gary and Mark have played a crucial role in our live and local content strategy. It’s been a privilege to have them engage with Brisbane through 4BC but we’ve decided to take a new approach to Breakfast.
Their loyal listeners, and all of us at 4BC, will miss them greatly, but we’ll be sending them off in a style worthy of their remarkable careers.”
Laurel, Gary and Mark are on a preplanned survey break next week but will get to return on Monday September 23 for a final week of memories and farewells to and from their 4BC & 4KQ listeners. Their final day is Friday September 27.
Perhaps Nine’s new approach is a return to the old approach of a talk breakfast show for the Brisbane audience, which Neil Breen had done up until Laurel, Gary and Mark arrived and infused some music into the station’s breakfast show. Breen left 4BC in June 2023. Other station departures in 2024 include Content Manager Max Dudley and Music Director and presenter Brent James, who also came over for 4KQ.
An announcement on Brisbane’s 4BC Breakfast for the rest of 2024 will be made soon. Gary Hardgrave is covering Drive from next week with a decision on the future of that also to be made soon.
Melbourne, Sydney and now Brisbane all now have interim lineups on metro stations to see out 2024.