Talent Watch
BY RadioToday Network November 28, 2023
Talent Watch November 23, 2020
Hughesy, Ed & Erin confirmed for 2Day FM Breakfast
2Day FM’s Breakfast lineup of Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan has been confirmed.
The program – known as The 2Day FM Morning Crew with Hughesy, Ed and Erin – will kick off on January 18.
Hughes and Kavalee currently host the later drive slot across Southern Cross Austereo’s (SCA) Hit Network, of which Sydney’s 2Day FM is a part.
They were spotted arriving in Sydney from Melbourne this morning.
Staff have been told that both Hughes and Kavalee will relocate to Sydney for the gig, with Kavalee apparently eyeing property in beachside-suburb Tamarama.
Molan is already a Sydney personality, but currently works for Nine across both its television and radio assets.
Radio Today first speculated on the Hughesy, Ed & Erin lineup last week.
SCA’s chief content officer Dave Cameron said he can’t wait to get 2Day FM pumping again.
“We’re lucky to have a brilliantly hilarious and established show sitting in our fold that Sydney already knows and loves and is ready to hit the ground running in 2021. Hughesy had the number one drive show in Sydney for many years and collectively the crew are all trusted, strong performers in our target market.
“In bringing back a headline breakfast show again to 2Day, it was critical for us to deliver the combination of established chemistry, familiarity, existing high passion for our talent, deep breakfast radio experience and, most importantly, a show focussed completely on Sydney every morning. The 2Day FM Morning Crew with Hughesy, Ed and Erin will bring a clever wit with a show that’s already at the top of its game,” he said.
Head of the Hit Network Gemma Fordham said she knows Sydney will be excited for the new show.
“Hughesy and Ed have a chemistry and shorthand that can’t be faked, and our listeners connect to their candour about their lives, kids, relationships and pop culture. Erin is an impressive broadcaster who possesses the rare mix of fun and clout. We will continue to build on a roster of regular guests to bring the 2Day FM Morning Crew to life and we know Sydney will be excited by this show in 2021 – a genuinely funny show to start the day, alongside our emotive ‘feel great’ music format,” she said.
The shift of Hughes and Kavalee leaves the Hit Network without a syndicated Drive program between 5pm and 6pm.
The 3pm to 5pm slot is currently occupied by Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little, and today, SCA announced an hour highlights package of The Morning Crew will run from 6pm nationally across the Hit Network.
Industry insiders suggest Carrie & Tommy could be expanded to fill the full Drive slot and compensate for the disappearance of Hughesy & Ed.
Insiders tell Radio Today that an announcement about Drive on Hit Network and also Triple M Melbourne Breakfast is expected later in the week.
Of the new gig, Kavalee said: “I’m fired up to continue working with Hughesy and excited about teaming up with Erin. We have a show ready to roll that I know will deliver the fun Sydney needs in 2021.”
Hughes joked: “My inbox is already full of DMs from Sydney real estate agents. Look, I can’t buy all of them but I’ll have a crack. Until then I will be staying in Kyle Sandilands’ pool house. In all seriousness, I have a ball working with Ed and I’m super pumped to be working with Erin. This is going to be a blast. From 10am every day you will find me at the Bondi outdoor gym busting shirtless workouts until my manboobs get rock hard.”
And Molan added: “To be trusted with this role is a huge honour and I can’t wait to embark on this new adventure with two of Australia’s comedy greats. Anyone who has listened to me on radio or watched me on TV over the past few years would be surprised that I’ve been brought into the fold as the ‘sensible one’. I was equally as amused and made sure to sign very quickly before anyone discovers I’m anything but.”
Current anchor of the Music for Breakfast format, veteran programmer Jamie Angel will still be heard across 2Day FM, SCA said.
“Jamie, Ellie and MC all stay as announcers and rotate shifts across the seven days,” an SCA spokesperson said.
How we got here
2Day FM currently has a 3.5% share in Breakfast. Drive, measured as 4pm to 7pm, has 3.8%.
Currently the Breakfast slot is hosted by veteran programmer and announcer Jamie Angel who has been presenting a ‘Music For Breakfast’ format.
The Music For Breakfast approach came after numerous iterations of talent-fronted programs, which could not get a firm foothold in the market.
2Day FM Breakfast’s instability began at the end of 2013, when contract negotiations with Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson broke down. The FM-topping duo then took their Kyle & Jackie O Show to rival Australian Radio Network (ARN) to help relaunch Mix 106.5 as KIIS FM.
To this day, the Kyle & Jackie O Show remains the #1 FM Breakfast show in Sydney.
Since then SCA has tried various programs, kicking off with Merrick, Jules and Sophie (with Mel B). This program, fronted by Merrick Watts, Jules Lund and Sophie Monk – with occasional input from former Scary Spice Mel B – could not take on the Kyle & Jackie O juggernaut and only lasted a year.
Up next was Dan Debuf and Maz Compton – or Dan & Maz – who had been doing Nights across the Hit Network. They were only eight months in when SCA announced there would be a new lineup in 2016.
This new lineup was Rove & Sam, or TV stalwart Rove McManus alongside jilted Bachelor winner, turned triumphant Bachelorette, Sam Frost. The duo failed to translate their television fame into a solid listener base, meaning they too only lasted a year.
Up next was The Em Rusciano Radio Show with Harley Breen. The comedians tried a different “looser” style of radio, but frequently hit headlines for broadcasting a Sydney show from Melbourne, and alleged tensions between the team.
Breen departed after one year to shift his focus back to standup comedy, with Kavalee and TV personality Grant Denyer catapulted in to fill the void.
It was then Rusciano’s turn to depart. She cited her pregnancy and the need to spend time with her growing family. She was replaced by existing SCA talent Ash London.
Angel took over the spot at the start of this year.
This year Angel has called the performance of 2Day FM Breakfast “tough”, “challenging” and “a little bit heartbreaking” – and both SCA CEO Grant Blackley, and chief content officer Dave Cameron have flagged their intentions to return to a prominent Breakfast show.
You can listen to last week’s Radio Today Tonight podcast below, which covers all the confirmed and speculated talent moves as 2020 draws to a close.
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So where does Jamie Angel go?
Hi ?,
We asked this question of SCA. The response was: “Jamie, Ellie and MC all stay as announcers and rotate shifts across the 7 days”.
I will update the story to reflect this.
Thanks,
Vivienne – Radio Today
This now means of course Erin Molan won’t be a part of the Continous Call Team on 2GB next year while continuing to be a part of the Nine family with her TV Commitments, suspect someone else to replace her on the Continous Call on Saturday Afternoons Next Year.
To think this station once ruled the roost.
Very sad.
Change after change and locked at the bottom end of the ratings.
Oh dear , 2 comedians and a tv host , sounds familiar ? sad …………
So who do we like for the 2022 Breakfast Show
So when this show turns out to be a complete failure, will the people who make these ridiculous programming decisions keep their job?
I was looking forward to what 2DayFM had planned for the new breakfast show, Ed & Dave great I will pass on Erin.
Lost me as a listener already.
You guys are missing Ash London, who was also on breakfast. Made to do breakfast and her night show. She still continues to work her butt off!
It should go 1. Em and Ed…2. Em, Ed and Grant and 3. Ed, Grant and Ash.
Fourth time lucky for Ed Kavalee? Will they finally make him move to Sydney?
Really happy to have Hughesy back in mornings.
Hi Team Hughesy,
The story does mention Ash London, although you could be forgiven for missing it as there’s a lot in there!
“It was then Rusciano’s turn to depart. She cited her pregnancy and need to spend time with her growing family. She was replaced by existing SCA talent Ash London.”
The story also addresses whether the show will be Sydney-based. The answer, in short, is yes.
Fifth paragraph: “Staff have been told that both Hughes and Kavalee will relocate to Sydney for the gig, with Kavalee apparently eyeing property in beachside-suburb Tamarama.”
Hope that clears it up.
Thanks,
Vivienne – Radio Today
Once all of the ‘expert’ naysayers have had their chance to whinge about this, I think we will find that this lineup would have as good a chance as any of actually working.
Hughesy and Ed are both hilarious and Erin is a great fit for the role and will be able to easily connect with the 2Day demographic. Good to see that Hughesy and Ed are relocating to Sydney as well.. this is going to be really important.
The problem here is that K&J have somehow created a way of giving their audience FOMO if they dare try and listen to any other station. Im sure these guys can find a way of tapping into that. As long as 2day management dont get scared and pull the plug before they have a chance to prove themselves of course.
With this lineup, and the right mix of 90’s-now tunes people might just have a reason to switch away and possibly stick. Especially if K&J continue putting MAFS wannabees on when one of them is away.
Why do we need Melbourne people to do breakfast radio in Sydney….
Jamie angel is a legend, why replace him…
unfortunately I won’t be tuning in when these others take over..
@CB what is 2Day demographic nowadays? Problem is- the playlist. Bit of smooth, bit of mix with fox hits and oldskool, which their ditched while ago…. good luck to them, fingers crossed…
It’s very surprising that 2DayFm and all Hit network is very disappointing. Where is management accountability?
Probably another ‘morning Crew’ will change , another crew will loose their jobs but Gemma Fordham will last forever…
They already tried Ed and that failed and as l said in another post l dont find Hughesy particularly funny. Erin Molin does not have that star power neither. It will be a case of one talking over the other 2. Kylie must be clapping his hands
OK – quit whining radio-kiddies. I think this might the best thing 2Day could possibly do. It makes complete sense where so much stuff has just been random till now.
Reboot the 80s and 90s, but the music policy will need to reflect that too. Even Jamie Angel works as a great Austereo 90s-2000s era jock. The Fox 40th thing was a ‘toe-in-the-water’. Might not have been a ratings bonanza but it was an experiment – these thing take time.
Cherie Romaro proved there is an audience for 40-64 females, effectively the same audience that made 2Day what is was, and with 2CH flipping to sports talk there’s 5% share ready to grab. Smooth is getting a free-kick by having older women migrate there despite not being the most ‘vibrant’ of choices – I get that in the US and Britain, but Australia is culturally a bit less so. These days many 50 year old women thinks of themselves as party animals. Take a trip down to “Club-Cougar” to see that.
Attempting to convince mainstream teens and 20s that radio is still relevant today is ultimately an impossible task. You can’t do it, but you can attempt to reclaim an audience who still think radio is a viable medium – the 40+ women, who lived it.
Play the same music, do the same stuff, use the same branding … add a bit of Beyonce etc to keep it refreshed and relevant but that’s it. When Triple J owns 18-39 demos, you should give up.
If that’s the core of the ‘2DayFM Morning Crew’ strategy then I think it’s a damned good idea and with the right management and execution it just might work.
Unfortunately you can’t please everybody Lol Lol, Great lineup & all the best for the new 2Day FM Morning Crew in 2021
Now where’s my popcorn & Coke so I can just sit back enjoy all the entertainment reading the negative comments hahaha
CB – ‘Hughesy and Ed are both hilarious’ – really? I’ve never found Ed funny. Likeable yes, competent yes, intelligent yes, but funny? Even on HYBPA he’s the anchor guy who keeps the show moving for Tom. And I seriously believe Kate made Dave look good – they had brilliant chemistry and timing, whereas he struggles without her. I love radio – I want 2Day to be competitive again – but I honestly think this will fail to lift the ratings.
Not one quote confirms that Hughesy & Ed are moving to Sydney, which would suggest… they’re not. If they were, you’d think station management would be singing it from the rooftops, not seeding it out via a paraphrased, unattributed quote.
I assume you’ve asked that question of 2day, rather than assuming the gossip you’ve been fed is correct?
Damn, lost my $5 on Bella Frizza
Lots of Tv people in radio these days , so why not combine the Acras with the Logies , kill 2 birds with one stone
@Andy Grace
Are you an expert in what women want?
This show will be another failure. David Hughes doesn’t even like music
Fingers crossed they also revive the Net@Night with Andy G.
I won’t be listening. Quite happy with 3AW, SEN 1170 and KFI. Sorry Sydney radio but I am a listener you lost to streaming from other cities such as Melbourne and Los Angeles except for SEN 1170.
@ Andy Grace.
Great summation – and everything you say makes perfect sense except the music is now targeting women 30-39, not over 40’s. Have you listened lately? It’s down aged by 10 years in the last couple of weeks. Yes, the morning crew with morning crew-type tom foolery would have been perfect if they were playing the cutting crew and Cindi Lauper but that ain’t happening.
It’s 80’s and 90’s iconography and a music format for 30 somethings.
It will struggle.
Is there no other talent in the talent pool????
Another lot of recycled personalities… And comedians. Not really anything new or exciting.
Might be time for some SCA management to move on??
I fear decision makers are so close to radio it’s really heartbreaking. They grew up in radio stations, practiced the furrowed brows and stern voices of their favorite ppppPDs and haven’t left. Just because smooth went beige and won, doesn’t mean its the remedy. Where are the innovators? How does it look to clients when you act as if the whole industry has about 5 more years. Sydney won’t like this show, but if the cheap seats have to tell you why on a radio today page, you’re in big trouble. OK I will. Hughes. Not funny unless swearing and you’re pissed in Melbourne. ED not funny or remotely likable, so Melbourne and a try hard with seriously planned humour and a clean ego the west will punish. Erin (I had to scroll back up to get name) ‘A token female league unknown thrown into a Tram Fire’ Actually, i think all woman offered radio jobs should refuse to be with two other blokes including an “alpha male” (yeah right with that hair cut). End
I’d be interested to know how much has been spent on comprehensive research before ANY decision was made on b/fast for 2DAY. SCA has literally spent(wasted) millions on talent since Kyle and Co left without anything to show for it. I hope they’ve spent a lot of money, maybe a million or two, on research this time to give themselves the best chance of it succeeding. Good research and people who know how to read and use it are both worth the money.
Worst breaky lineup ever made, i loved listening to actual music in the mornings but now i will be switching back to a rival station as i cant stand any of these people
Ed is great in any shift.
Hughesy will need at least 12 months before Sydney accepts him as one of their own.
Erin is not the answer.
Geez ur a negative bunch of geezers give them a break…! Phhwoarrr…
Erin is a star! She’s known! A Sydneysider – real -relatable/ cheeky / can hold her own /smart / shares her real mum life /can take shit with the “boys club” (that’s a skill we alllll had to learn !) & Hughsey & Ed are pros! Give them a chance!!!
@Bianca D
Erin was on the phone with them on Drive…I have to say….chemistry is there, it should works.
Maybe Sydney people will switch for breakfast crew but not sure if they’ll stay with 2DayFm for the rest of the day.
My question is, Who will be accountable for those decisions if it will fail…. Hit network is not doing great atm…
What a supportive, caring and kind community we’ve got here in these Comments. If someone had a newborn or got married, I’m guessing everyone here would pile on them too. You guys are wonderful!
Agree with this comment 100% ‘Hughesy and Ed are both hilarious’ – really?
I’ve never found Ed funny. Likeable yes, competent yes, intelligent yes, but funny? Even on HYBPA he’s the anchor guy who keeps the show moving for Tom. And I seriously believe Kate made Dave look good – they had brilliant chemistry and timing, whereas he struggles without her.
Clearly ,they fixed they playlist. It looks like is more like old ‘hits and oldskool’ but now ‘hits you love from then till now’ . No more ‘smooth like’ hits from 80s.