Lehmo to spend more time in Adelaide after borders open

Anthony ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann will spend more studio hours in Adelaide with radio buddies Rebecca Morse and Andrew Costello after border restrictions are lifted, Radio Today can reveal.

As first reported on Monday, Southern Cross Austereo has returned Hit107 to its heritage SAFM as part of a national rebrand of the Hit Network, which also sees Hit105 revert to B105.

It’s the biggest network overhaul since the Hit brand was first introduced in 2014 and marks the beginning of a major play by SCA to reclaim their duopoly leadership position in key markets.

Readers and rivals were quick to ask about the comedian’s place of residence. Will the South-Australian-born funnyman broadcast from Melbourne or Adelaide? SCA says the answer is both.

“Lehmo was ready to do a hybrid show, living in Melb but going between both markets, however right now SA won’t let him in so he can’t get there,” SCA content chief Dave Cameron told me.

“We won’t make any secret of the fact he lives in Melb, but he’s still an Adelaide boy at heart.”

Hit Network boss Gemma Fordham is betting the star power of Lehmo will help the new look SAFM sail north in future radio ratings, bypassing dominant rivals Mix 102.3 and Nova 919.

“Lehmo is synonymous with SAFM and has obviously led the number one show there before,” Fordham told me. “So he was really chuffed and loved the idea of returning the brand to SAFM.”

Lehmann joined his new co-hosts, Morse and Costello, on Monday, saying he’s looking forward to spending more time in Adelaide and reminiscing about his past stints at the station.

“It is an absolute pleasure to be back on deck with you guys and I can’t wait to join you each and every morning, speaking to the good people of Adelaide,” he said on-air.

“What a great history this radio station has. It has been an absolute pleasure of mine to be involved with it, many years ago, with Cosi in 2003 through to 2007.

Lehmo’s breakfast radio career started at SAFM with Lisa ‘Milly’ Millard.

The veteran broadcaster previously hosted Melbourne breakfast with Brigitte Duclos at Mix and Gold. His last full-time gig alongside Jo Stanley was sensationally axed at the end of 2017.

Since leaving radio he’s become a familiar face on Network Ten’s evening news show The Project and a regular on the Triple M network, even reuniting with Duclos over summer.