Craig Reucassel has been announced as the new Breakfast host on ABC Radio Sydney.
The popular member of The Chaser team will officially take the reins from mid-January, with current Breakfast host James Valentine moving back into Afternoons.
Reucassel makes the jump to Breakfast radio after a bumper year hosting a third series of the ABC TV program War on Waste. He has also been heard on ABC Radio Sydney recently filling in for Richard Glover on Drive.
Reucassel says he is excited to wake up with the Sydney Breakfast audience.
“I’m honoured to be joining ABC Radio Sydney as the station celebrates its centenary. I’ve got some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of some incredible broadcasters including James.”
“I’m looking forward to getting to know the audience over Breakfast and my morning coffee (from a reusable coffee cup of course). The bit about being excited to wake up at 3am was a lie though.”
Valentine says the return to Afternoons feels like coming home.
“I’m delighted to be returning to my afternoon timeslot and reuniting with my afternoon listeners. It’s been an incredible privilege leading Breakfast these past two years and I wish Craig all the best with the early starts.”
Manager of ABC Radio Sydney Steve Ahern says “The audience responded very well to Craig’s recent stint filling in for Richard Glover. We know they will enjoy spending time with him at breakfast next year. Craig is one of the ABC’s most versatile talents, able to ask the hard questions and still have a laugh about the quirky and the unusual things going on around the city.”
“Our afternoon audience will enjoy the return of James Valentine to the timeslot. They have missed his laconic sense of humour in the afternoon hours. The audience for his style of afternoon radio is strong, in his last full survey two years ago* James scored a 10% audience share in that timeslot.”
Evenings at ABC Radio Sydney will also sound different in 2024 with the announcement that current host Indira Naidoo has been confirmed for the 2024 season of ABC TV’s Compass and will not return to the Evening program next year.
Indira’s Compass role will include some international travel and longer format interviews. She will also be working on a new book that will involve some overseas travel. Indira will be replaced by Renee Krosch who is known to the audience as one of the station’s regular relief presenters.
Steve Ahern says “Our audience has loved spending time with Indira every evening during 2023. I’m grateful to Indira for her time with ABC Radio Sydney and excited to see what she will be covering on Compass in what will be a busy year for her in 2024.”
“I’d also like to welcome Renee to Evenings. Renee has been a valued member of the ABC Radio Sydney team for some time and I have no doubt our audience is going to enjoy spending time with her.”
Full details of ABC Radio Sydney’s 2024 full lineup are:
Weekdays
Breakfast – Craig Reucassel
AM – Sabra Lane
Mornings – Sarah Macdonald
The World Today – Sally Sara
Afternoons – James Valentine
Drive – Richard Glover
PM – David Lipson
Evenings – Renee Krosch (Fridays Sirine Demachkie)
Nightlife – Philip Clarke (Fridays Suzanne Hill)
Overnights – Michael Pavlich (Fridays Rod Quinn)
Saturday
Breakfast – Simon Marnie
Afternoon – Grandstand
Evening – Robbie Buck, Songs & Stories
Nightlife – Suzanne Hill
Overnight – Rod Quinn
Sunday
Australia All Over – Ian McNamara
Morning – Simon Marnie
Afternoon – Grandstand
Evening – Christine Anu
Speaking Out – Larissa Behrendt
Nightlife – Suzanne Hill
Overnight – Rod Quinn