Co-host of Austereo’s successful Hot 30 Countdown, The LabRat, is moving on but not out.

Effective immediately, he has taken on the morning shift (Monday-Thursday) on 2Day FM, leaving Alexis to carry on the Countdown with a new co-host.

It has been a rapid rise for The LabRat. He has been doing the Countdown for little more than six months, after the move by Kyle and Jackie O to drive, following three years as co-presenters. Austereo networks the show each evening to Fox FM, Melbourne; B105, Brisbane; SAFM, Adelaide; NX FM, Newcastle; and 2Day FM, Sydney.

2Day FM Program Director, David Rymer, has told radioinfo: “It’s a promotion for LabRat and a reward for great effort.”

“As for the Hot 30, I’m delighted to announce the return to Sydney of Dave ‘Higgo’ Higgins, who’s been with Austereo for many years, most recently at Triple M in Adelaide.

“Higgo will make a great Hot 30 team with Alexis, because they’ve worked together before.” Their first show goes to air this evening.

To make way for LabRat on mornings, Adam ‘AB’ Barrett will focus on his role as Assistant Music Director and remain the station’s floater. In fact, Rymer says AB is rarely off air.

Rymer says there are no other shift changes planned for 2Day FM at the moment: “But, we are reviewing everything to give the station even greater strength. We are looking at all our strengths and striving for strength everywhere. Basically, it’s a work in progress.”