Kate Ritchie's Nova FM breakfast show faces an uncertain future amid reports that her co-host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzerald is planning a move interstate.
Fitzy, 47, plans to move to Adelaide with his family early next year. but will continue to present the show remotely.
However, industry insiders say his co-host Kate, 45, is concerned the move could spell disaster for the show, less than a year after she replaced Sarah McGilvray as Fitzy and Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli's sidekick.
“I would say Kate is quite concerned about the impact on the show and the team,” a source said women's Day magazine on Tuesday.
Kate left Nova's drive-time show in March, amid rumors of tension between her co-hosts Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold.
Kate Ritchie's Nova FM breakfast show faces an uncertain future amid reports that her co-host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzerald is planning a move interstate. (L-R: Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, Kate Ritchie and Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli)
However, an insider has suggested that history is now repeating itself, with tensions apparently brewing between Kate and her new co-hosts.
“There are rumors that the bosses also felt they had to agree to Fitzy's requests (to move to Adelaide) to avoid any unforeseeable drama that could unfold at the Sydney studio,” said an insider.
“It's no secret that Kate… it wasn't their idea to be on the boys' radio show.”
Fitzy, 47, plans to move to Adelaide with his family early next year but will continue to present the show remotely. (Fitzy pictured with wife Belinda and their sons Hewy and Lenny)
The source claimed Fitzy and Wippa were 'not sold' on Kate being added to the team, seeing the move as a 'publicity stunt' for ratings.
Meanwhile, industry insiders recently shared Yahoo That Allowing Fitzy to broadcast remotely could have serious consequences for the show's chemistry.
“Fitzy moving to Adelaide and doing the show from there is a huge risk. The chemistry is never the same when the hosts are not in the same studio,” a source said last month.
“I would say Kate is quite concerned about the impact on the show and the team,” a source told Woman's Day magazine on Tuesday.
“Rumors are that the bosses also felt they had to agree to Fitzy's requests (to move to Adelaide) to avoid any unforeseeable drama that could unfold at the Sydney studio,” the insider said.
“Nova will have to work hard to maintain the same energy so that the long distance is not transmitted through the air.”
They added that it was a particularly risky move because if the show loses listeners as a result, the presenter's contracts may not be renewed.
Nova's breakfast show has been struggling for some time, and last month it was reported that since Kate joined in March, the program's viewing figures have declined.
The recently released Radio Ratings 2023, Survey 7 results showed that the breakfast show had fallen by 0.2 points, from 7.3 to 7.1.
Plus, the ratings war is set to reach new heights next year when The Kyle And Jackie O Show launches their top-rated breakfast show in Melbourne.
Meanwhile, industry insiders recently told Yahoo that allowing Fitzy to broadcast remotely could have serious consequences for the show's on-air chemistry