Guy “Cliffo” Clifton, co-host of Townsville’s #1 radio show Cliffo & Kate for Breakfast on 102.3 Triple M, is celebrating 25 years in radio today. On the Gold Coast, it was also 25 years ago that Triple M’s Leisel Jones became the youngest member of the Australian Swim Team for the Sydney Olympics aged just 15. She would go on to win two silver medals, in the 100m breaststroke and the 4x100m Medley Relay.

Cliffo was just 16 when he started as a volunteer at Great Lakes FM on the NSW Mid North Coast with his radio career taking him through Bega, the Hunter Valley, Grafton and Mackay, before arriving in Townsville at HOT FM. In his very first survey alongside co-host Kate Jeboult at Triple M, Cliffo & Kate (pictured below) were #1 on Breakfast with a 22.2% share.

Across two and a half decades, Cliffo has done it all: he’s broadcast live during cyclones and floods, lived in a V8 Supercar for a week, and moved in with a single mum of six for a “Family Guy” stunt. He’s also given away life-changing prizes and, more recently, participated in the “Brighter Day” radiothon that raised more than $200,000 for North QLD cancer care.

Cliffo also credits ‘Hit the Hill’, a 24-hour event for the Townsville community to fundraise for suicide prevention, as one of the most impactful he’s been involved in, saying:

“The stories I heard during ‘Hit the Hill’ will stay with me forever. We were talking mental health years before it was discussed openly, and it genuinely saved lives.”

Radio has also shaped Cliffo’s personal life. While hosting a Reece Mastin in-store gig at Willows Shopping Centre, he met his now-wife Michelle, and today they share two children, Matilda (11) and Charlie (6).

Cliffo is the only person to be Number 1 on two different Townsville stations (Triple M & Hit 103.1) with his love of radio and the city evident:

“This building has been like a second home. I’ve laughed, cried, and even showered here when my bathroom flooded during the 2019 floods. But the connection with locals is why radio still matters. No other medium connects like live radio. I’m so thankful to the Townsville community for embracing our show, for sharing their stories with us every day, and for being the best listeners we could ask for.”

Down the road a few hundred kilometres, today is also a milestone for Triple M Gold’s Leisel Jones. Few have forgotten the teenager with the black nail polish who exploded onto the swimming scenes at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Watch the 100 metres breaststroke and listen to the post race chants below:

Triple M paid tribute to the occasion saying:

“Our very own @leisel_jones made history 25 years ago today, as the youngest member of the Australian Swim Team for the Sydney Olympics at just 15 years old. She won two silver medals in the 100m breaststroke and the 4x100m Medley Relay, becoming one of Australia’s youngest Olympic medallists. Her performance at the Olympics was a significant milestone, showcasing her potential and setting the stage for a successful swimming career! We love you Leisel! “

Breakfast with Leisel Jones, Liam and Spida can be heard on Triple M Gold 92.5 and Cliffo & Kate on Townsville’s 102.3 Triple M can both be be heard from 6-9am weekdays and also on LiSTNR.