Top rating 2GB is denying any unrest, despite reports of at least 10 resignations in a month.

As reported earlier this week, tension has supposedly plummeted staff morale to rock bottom and has ramifications for John Singleton’s proposed float of 2GB/2CH next year.

Adding fuel to this fire of gossip, the Sydney Confidential Column in The Daily Telegraph says breakfast host, Alan Jones, pulled out at the last minute from an opportunity to meet re-elected US President, George W Bush, amid network fears he could not be absent amid such upheaval.

In the latest chapter, the paper says IT Manager, Ben Heitbrink, quit last week, senior sales’ executives, Darryl Durant and Daniel Hughes, have resigned in recent weeks, along with Fiona Bowden from production.

After the resignation of three newsroom staff and Canberra bureau reporter, Sarah Farrell, Ray Hadley’s personal assistant and weekend producer, Jane Gordon will leave to pursue other interests.

At one stage, rumours swept 2GB that Chief Executive, Angela Clark, had left the station after a Friday boardroom run in with Singleton. Despite being absent on the Monday – and being spotted in the building at the weekend – Clark was back on deck on the Tuesday, apparently after direct intervention by Jones.

According to an earlier report, the dissent and tension have been fuelled by 2UE’s climb back up the ratings’ ladder this year. With 2UE’s return, 2GB’s monopoly of the talk based advertising dollar is no longer assured, in the face of high overheads.

While denying there is any shaky ground or unrest, 2GB is putting the wave of resignations down to coincidence.