Ray Hadley to retire from 2GB

One-time taxi driver turned titan of talkback radio Ray Hadley has announced his shock retirement from Nine’s flagship radio station after a dominating four decades behind the microphone.

The award-winning 2GB host broke the unexpected news to listeners live on-air just after 9.30 on Thursday morning, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife Sophie, children and grandchildren.

He will remain on-air until the end of this year’s radio ratings season on December 13 before hanging up his microphone for good – though a successor is yet to be announced as he only confirmed the decision with Nine’s executive’s last week.

The industry legend rose from humble beginnings to become one of the biggest names in Australian broadcasting.

Hadley has ruled the airwaves in the fiercely competitive mornings timeslot for the Sydney-based station since his debut in April 2002 after more than two decades at rival outlet 2UE, where he had started his radio career as a casual traffic reporter.

The tireless broadcaster, who celebrated his 70th birthday just six weeks ago, is also known to sports fans across the country for his unbeaten reign calling the rugby league State of Origin matches and the NRL Grand Final.

Hadley’s record-breaking career has seen him recognized with 35 Australian Commercial Radio Awards for his work across news and current affairs and sport – more than any other broadcaster – and inducted into the ACRA Hall of Fame in 2017.

He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002 for his services to rugby league and in recognition of his charity work, and added to the Sydney Cricket Ground’s Media Hall of Honor in 2021.

In announcing his retirement, Hadley spoke candidly about his rise to prominence – and how it all began while giving a Sydney radio executive a lift in his taxi almost half a century ago.

‘Forty-six years ago, I was an auctioneer wanting to be a race caller – so I quit my job to chase my dream,’ Hadley told his listeners on Thursday morning.

‘For two years I battled and, in the end, had to get a cab license to sustain myself.

‘Eventually, I got a job calling the dogs at Appin every Saturday afternoon for $37.50 for 15 races.

‘Driving the cab led me to picking 2UE news director Mark Collier, who eventually decided they needed a traffic reporter.

‘After 12 months of being in a chopper every morning, I ended up assisting Des Hoysted, then John Tapp, at the races every Saturday.

‘In the meantime, I was calling the harness racing at (Sydney’s) Harold Park.

‘After a few years of practice at the gallops, on January 7, 1984, John Tapp let me loose on race 1 at Canterbury one Saturday.

‘For the next three years, I was his understy on both 2UE and Channel Nine.

‘Just about everyone was terrified of taking on Hollywood and Zorba [Greg Hartley and Peter Peters] at 2GB – so by method of elimination I was the last choice and I took the job.

‘The first few years were tough, until about 1990, when we finally won the ratings and were never beaten.

‘For the next 30 years, the Continuous Call Team won every survey.

‘In 1992, John Brennan an called me while I was in the UK calling footy and asked me when I was coming home.

‘HE told me to be back in time to fill in for John Laws during his breaks from air.

‘I did that for the next nine years.

‘In 2001, I’d been full-time at 2UE for 19 years when the CEO of Southern Cross, the new owners of 2UE, told me I would no longer be filling in for John Laws, as I was an adequate sports commentator but not a talkback host.

‘I quit and John Singleton threw me a lifeline to bring Bob Fulton, Peter Frilingos and Steve Road to call the footy here at 2GB.

‘Thankfully, our ratings success continued here.

‘In March of 2002, after some encouragement from Singo, I took over the morning shift at 2GB while still calling the rugby league.

‘For the next 12 years, I worked seven days a week from March to October.

‘Singo told me it would kill me and it very nearly did.

‘The rest of you know we recently won our 160th radio survey and haven’t been beaten for 20 years.

‘I’ve called almost 3000 games of rugby league and presented the Ray Hadley Morning Program about 5000 times.

‘I’ve won 35 ACRAS and was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.

‘I achieved far more than I have thought I would.

‘My children, Dan, Laura, Emma and Sarah, have made many sacrifices over the years for me to realize my ambitions.

‘Seven years ago, I had no grandchildren and now I have seven, and I want to spend more time in the company of Ava, Noah, Ella, Lola, Tommy, Remi and Millar aling with their parents.

‘About three years ago, I married the most amazing woman, Sophie.

‘For over 18 years, she’s been my colleague.

‘She is the most supportive, calming, loving wife anyone could ask for and she deserves a break.

‘If I cop it in a newspaper or other media, she gets more upset than me.

‘Back in September, I turned 70 and started to think how long have I got left on this earth and do I want to keep getting up at 3.30 in the morning.

‘I started my conversation with [Nine Radio] CEO Tom Malone about my future some time ago, and while I was in Paris, we caught up where I expressed that perhaps he might start looking for a replacement.

‘I again broached the subject with Tom last week.

‘He listened but I don’t think he thought I was serious but I was and because he’s known me for almost 40 years he came to the conclusion I was serious.

‘So December 13 this year, will be my last day broadcasting the Ray Hadley Morning Program.

‘It’s been a hell of a ride from a young bloke wanting to call the races to being the old bloke sitting in this studio for so long – but the time has come for someone else to do the job.’