This is Chrissie Swan

We told you about Chrissie Swan heading back to the Sunshine Coast and joining Fifi & Dave on Fox FM today. We decided to have a chat to Chrissie about it all.

We’ll talk about what she learnt being on breakfast radio, has her thinking changed since leaving, what was the worst thing that happened on I’m a Celebrity and has she got the Work/Life balance thing sorted?

Blair: It’s been like 4 months since you left Mix, are you ready for the early starts again with Fifi and Dave on Fox FM?

Chrissie:  It’s a pretend early morning isn’t it?

I don’t have to be there until 8 o’clock once a week. I think it’s actually really cushy.

Blair:So how was this morning’s run with Fifi and Dave on the Fox?

Chrissie: It was great, great fun. I got in nice and early, got my coffee. It was very exciting to be back in a breakfast studio. And Fifi and Dave are just gorgeous.

They are having so much fun and it was really nice to see it. It’s brilliant to be back.

Blair:How long have you known each other?

Chrissie:It’s been years. We have been friends separately for years. I probably met Dave first, maybe six years ago. And Fifi when she was having her baby the same time I was having mine. That’s when I said to her, we really need to be friends. So we have been friends for a couple of years.

Blair:What have you learnt about being on breakfast yourself?

Chrissie:What in my ten years?

Blair:Yeah

Chrissie:That’s a big question. I think you have got an obligation to be having fun. I think that the listeners demand that and deserve it.

And I have always found that very easy, it is a super fun job and I have always loved it.

As long as you’re having fun, then you are doing your job.

Blair: So you’ve had a few months off… outside I’m a Celebrity – what did you learn while having that time off?

Chrissie:I’ve been back for about three and a half weeks, so I’ve been back in the real world for that long.

Sometimes when your hand is forced for change, as it was for me, I think it is a great opportunity to take stock of what’s important and what you want.

I think having more energy has been really great for me and I am seeing the benefits of that, every minute of every day. And I want to keep that going. Because I feel really good.

And I suppose it’s a good chance to, you know reconnect with the world and I suppose I am enjoying that too, being present.

Blair:Do you think you have finally got the Work/Life balance thing sorted?

Chrissie:No, I think the Work/Life balance thing is a myth. You know the longer we chase that, the more disappointed we are going to feel. I think you have got to do the right next thing.

Chrissie:Oh, the hardest thing I have ever done without question. But women and men who are supporting their families do it every day and I’m no different. So, that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.

Blair:What was the worst thing that happened on that show?

Chrissie:The worst thing? Being away from my family was the hardest thing. I don’t focus on negatives too much to be honest. I think just because something tests you and makes you uncomfortable, doesn’t mean that it is wrong.

I think a lot of the time we are focussing on staying comfortable and sometimes it is good to be uncomfortable, it puts a lot of other things in perspective.

Blair:I love that answer.

Chrissie:Well it’s sort of true. I didn’t die and I didn’t contract an incurable disease or though sometimes I might have felt like I was. But I didn’t, so there are always positives I suppose in testing yourself and being scared. Being uncomfortable and all those sorts of things.

It’s good, it’s good to shake it up.

Blair:What’s the best thing about doing TV for you?

Chrissie:I know I sound like a broken record, it’s the fun of it. I look at my little kids playing for hours, I think I am so lucky. Most 41 year olds don’t get to play for hours as well. I am fortunate in that my line of work means I do get to play.  I have an enormous amount of fun in my work. And I feel very lucky, that is the case and it’s not lost on me, I love it.

Blair: What’s the one thing you really enjoy about doing radio?

Chrissie: Conversation. You know life is busy and more often than not people don’t get to talk to each other and you know I’m definitely one of those.

Lots of time with my kids and lots of running around.

Radio is great, in that you’ve got no choice but to talk to each other and talk to the listeners and I really enjoy that communication.

And that is probably another thing I really loved about I’m a Celebrity, is that because we didn’t have any other sort of stimuli; we had to talk.

We had to talk to each other, we had to ask each other questions. We had to interrogate each other, I couldn’t do a google search on Maureen; I had to ask her questions about her work and her life, family. I had to ask Barry Hall about his sporting career. I couldn’t look anything up.

That was fantastic to reawaken the art of communication. Conversing and finding out about other people.

Blair: I’m a Celebrity, I guess is one of those unique shows where you could do that.  When it comes to the radio side you have more audience interaction that you don’t get with normal television shows. If we back track to say years ago… The Circle

Chrissie:Yes

Blair:You don’t have the same level of interaction as you do with your listeners?

Chrissie:Well you sort of did a little, because with social media the way it is and that show was live and we had a live audience. It did feel that way, more obviously than say a block recorded just to camera show.

So I have been lucky that most of my 12 years in the media have been live. Live TV, live radio.

Blair:So besides Fifi and Dave – what else is on the radar for you?

Chrissie: Well I’m doing Studio 10 for two days next week. I have been unable to do that show since it started because I was locked into breakfast radio. I’m really excited to be chatting with those guys. I am really, really excited about that.

Blair: Are you looking forward to heading to the Sunny Coast, back to where it all started for you in radio at Hot91?

Chrissie:Yeah, I am going back and doing breakfast there, where I started.  I am very excited. It’s been nine years since I left, which I can’t believe.

I still get mentions and tweets and Facebook posts from people who used to listen to Chrissie and Ronnie all those years ago. I can’t wait to get back and I know people are excited about that too.