Ray Hadley is scrapped on 4BC Brisbane: Replacement revealed
Ray Hadley’s popular morning show has been axed in Brisbane after eight years on the city’s airwaves.
4BC Weekends presenter Bill McDonald has been named the new host of the city’s morning slot.
The shock move takes effect immediately with Queenslander McDonald replacing Sydney-based Hadley on air for the first time on Monday.
Despite Hadley’s Morning being 4BC’s highest rating in the latest ratings.
Radio presenter Ray Hadley has been removed from the Brisbane airwaves
4BC Content Manager Max Dudley says the move was based on the local content strategy.
“Eight years ago, Ray added 4BC to its major list of network stations and has had a huge impact in Brisbane and across Queensland,” he said.
“We are pleased that Ray will continue to be heard on Brisbane airwaves during the Continuous Call Team, State of Origin, NRL Finals and the 2024 Paris Olympics.”
Hadley’s show airs weekdays on 2GB in Sydney.
He is currently on a viewing hiatus and made no mention of his departure from 4BC last week.
4BC hails his successor McDonald as a well-known media identity in Brisbane, having anchored the 6pm news for two different networks and covered everything from the Olympics to Queensland’s storms and floods.
Brisbane listeners are already embracing the change.
“I really enjoyed listening to Ray, but I’m excited that you’re going to update us from here in Queensland,” one person commented.
Another listener added: ‘Fantastic news. Common sense for a change. Qld-focused radio. It’s about time we finally had a great Qlder in this time slot.”
A third wrote: ‘A new change – I like it. I must honestly admit that I didn’t see it coming.’
McDonald is a former Seven News presenter in Brisbane who has reportedly spent a one-finger salute to the network after presenting its latest news bulletin in 2018.
The Courier Mail revealed at the time that McDonald left a crude drawing of a hand with the middle finger raised on the network’s ‘parting wall’ in their Queensland studio.
The farewell message, which depicted a hand turning the bird over and was signed ‘Bye from Bill’, was dated Friday, March 9 – the last day of Mr McDonald’s deployment.