Fox FM’s Byron Cooke launches standalone podcast

Former Editor & Content Director

Fox FM’s Breakfast co-host Byron Cooke is the latest radio talent to launch his own podcast.

The Byron Cooke Show was inspired during Melbourne’s lockdown when Cooke noted “conversations around the pandemic had become increasingly divisive” with “a lot of anger and name calling”.

This, he said, led to many mainstream media organisations putting the entire topic into the “too-hard basket” where it joined social justice issues and race relations, drugs, sexuality, cancel culture, politics – “countless topics that were either too touchy or just too complex to be covered properly by FM Breakfast radio”.

Even when such topics are covered, Cooke noted there are often agendas rather than balanced conversations.

So, The Byron Cooke Show – “a side project” to his “very fun” radio gig – will tackle one tough topic per episode. Guests join the discussion, but must “disagree nicely”.

The first episode, out now, covers #NupToTheCup, ahead of tomorrow’s Melbourne Cup Carnival and “the race that stops the nation”.

Cooke is joined by RSPCA Victoria CEO Liz Walker and Racing Victoria’s GM of Equine Welfare Jen Hughes, as well as jockey Dylan Dunn and 7 Horse Racing’s Jason Richardson.

“I want to bring my almost 20 years of experience as an anchor to the podcast space and use it to steer more challenging conversations,” Cooke told Radio Today. 

The Byron Cooke Show is an independent production, and is recorded in Cooke’s home.

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