Mark Bickley won’t return to his FIVEaa drive show next year

NOVA Entertainment has called time on FIVEaa drive presenter Mark Bickley.

The former Adelaide Crows premiership captain has been a fixture of the talk station with co-host Stephen Rowe, but reports suggest his contract will not be renewed for another year.

According to InDaily, Bickley will remain on-air with Rowe until his deal expires. Radio Today also understands Rowe is expected to return to the drive shift next year, albeit solo.

Bickley’s pending departure from the broadcaster comes amid multiple redundancies across the network – and some rivals – over recent months in response to a soft advertising market.

Another on-air talent from sister station Nova, Jarrod Walsh, also confirmed he had left the network last week after his role was made redundant and replaced with a Melbourne-based host.

Walsh (pictured, below) posted an emotional video to his YouTube account this week.

In the 12-minute video he reflects on his time at Nova, and the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced during and immediately after learning of his unemployment.

In a statement shared exclusively with Radio Today this week, Nova’s programming chief, Paul Jackson, confirmed the changes to workdays in both Brisbane and Adelaide.

“It’s been a tough time for all media industries during COVID and as a result we’ve reviewed every aspect of our business, including programming, to ensure we continue to deliver our listeners with the best content, announcers and shows, in the most efficient way,” Jackson said.

“As a result of this review we’ve looked carefully at all our Nova workday announcers and unfortunately this has resulted in some talented broadcasters being made redundant.

“It is always difficult to make these types of decisions when they impact great broadcasters and we don’t make these changes lightly. I would like to thank all of the announcers affected for their hard work and passion and wish them the best for the future.”

As part of the changes, Nova Brisbane announcers Katie Mattin and Jack Tree, and Nova Adelaide announcers Rosie Panetta and Walsh, will no longer be heard on mornings or afternoons.

In Brisbane and Sydney, DC will host mornings with Smallzy on afternoons, and, in Adelaide and Melbourne, Jamie Row will front mornings while Mel Tracina tackles the afternoon shift.

Row and Tracina are familiar to Adelaide listeners, having been heard on-air across Nova 919.