Longtime Brisbane radio host sets the record straight as she breaks her silence on her shock exit from popular breakfast show amid ratings decline

Brisbane radio presenter Laurel Edwards has spoken out about her shock departure from her popular 4BC morning show amid declining ratings.

On Friday afternoon, the station announced it was axing regular presenters Laurel, Gary Clare and Mark Hine from the coveted breakfast programme in a bid to take it in a “new direction”.

Laurel, 57, broke her silence on the news later in the day on Instagram, but insisted there was no “kicking and screaming” during the trio’s departure.

She shares a series of photos showing Laurel and her two ‘workmen’ as they pay tribute to their show on television.

Laurel also confirmed that their final 4BC morning show will air on Friday 27th September. She admitted that their departure was ‘bittersweet’.

‘Hello folks, what a mixed bag day,’ Laurel began her message. ‘Shame as the Laurel, Gary and Mark Breakfast Show ends in two weeks on 4BC.’

Laurel, who has been a familiar voice on Brisbane radio stations for three decades, added that the departure was amicable and not an “unceremonious ambush”.

The station announced on Friday that it would be axing Laurel, Gary Clare and Mark Hine from the coveted breakfast time slot, but Laurel has now insisted their departures were ‘by mutual agreement’

“There was no kicking or screaming, no frog marches or dramatic strikes,” she continued.

Laurel continued her farewell speech by saying she was “extremely proud” of what the trio had accomplished in their 30 years on the air together, across various stations.

“I will miss spending every workday with my two wonderful husbands, Gary and Mark, and having a genuine laugh every morning,” she wrote.

“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved as one of the longest running, successful teams in Australian radio and that we continue to enjoy it.”

Laurel joked that she would look for a new hobby to fill the void, besides pestering her husband of 28 years, Troy Cassar-Daley.

‘After 32 years of 4am alarms, I can’t wait to really annoy Troy until I find a hobby.’

The post was met with many congratulatory messages from fans and media colleagues as she embarks on a major career change.

Laurel, 57, broke her silence on the news on Instagram on Friday, but insisted there was no “kicking and screaming” over the trio’s departure

Radio colleague Amanda Keller joined in the conversation, saying, “You are amazing! Whatever you choose to do – all or nothing or anything in between – I will be there!!!! xxx.”

Amanda’s WSFM 101.7 co-host Brendan Jones also offered his best wishes, recalling a “big night” he spent with Laurel.

‘Here’s to you Laurel! I remember when I first started at ARN and we had one of those “boot camps” that consultants loved, at dinner the night before they said “No big night tonight, we paid this consultant a lot of money, we’re going to start early,” he wrote.

‘As we were stumbling back to the hotel from the pub at 4am you looked at me and said “Well it’s still early and at least we’re awake!” Legend!!’

The trio, household names in the Sunshine State, were unveiled to much fanfare in 2022 when the station switched to a classic hits format on its early morning show.

Laurel concluded by saying she would now look for a hobby to fill the void, besides her abusive husband of 28 years Troy Cassar-Daley

On their debut in the fierce morning radio competition in the Queensland capital, they achieved an impressive market share of 11.8 percent, taking third place.

But the decision to shift the station away from traditional talk programming and focus on ‘light entertainment’ channels – in stark contrast to successful sister stations 2GB in Sydney, 3AW in Melbourne and 6PR in Perth – alienated listeners and ultimately proved a disaster.

Their ratings have plummeted, with their show finishing in a humiliating last place in the latest poll, with an alarming 4.3 percent audience share.

Nine Radio’s head of content Greg Byrnes said on Friday afternoon that the network “has decided to take a new approach to breakfast”.