Ray Hadley shocked listeners earlier this month when he announced he would be hanging up the mic for good in December.
And as the 70-year-old’s retirement approaches, speculation is rife over who will take his place at Channel Nine’s flagship station, 2GB.
Frontrunners include current 2GB personalities Ben Fordham and Chris O’Keefe.
But since Channel Nine management has had the summer to settle on the host’s eventual successor, a bizarre theory has emerged about how 2GB plans to fill the void left by Hadley in the meantime.
Instead of bringing in a stand-in announcer for Hadley’s regular 9pm to 12pm slot, there is now speculation that presenters’ shifts will ‘likely’ be ‘extended’, according to The Daily Telegraph.
There has been no confirmation from 2GB management about their plans.
Ray Hadley stunned listeners earlier this month when he announced he would be hanging up the mic for good in December. As the 70-year-old’s retirement approaches, speculation is rife over who will take his place at Channel Nine’s flagship station, 2GB. (Pictured)
Rather than bringing in a replacement presenter for Hadley’s regular 9pm to 12pm slot, there is now speculation that presenters’ services will ‘likely’ be ‘extended’ before a full-time successor is announced. Pictured: Ben Fordham
Meanwhile, insiders are tipping 2GB’s reigning breakfast show host Ben Fordham as his likely replacement.
The tireless talkback host has repeatedly shown that he is more than capable of winning over an audience.
Four years ago he was given the almost impossible task of replacing 2GB’s all-powerful Alan Jones and has since proven a huge success in retaining the channel’s discerning morning audience.
He is known to the public after impressive performances on Sky News, A Current Affair and 60 Minutes.
The only downside? The internal shuffle would only create more headaches for Nine Radio executives, who would then have to replace him at breakfast.
There’s also a lot of talk about Nine reporter Chris O’Keefe getting comfortable in Hadley’s old chair.
He is currently impressing management as political editor of Nine Sydney State, before switching formats.
Also in the mix to replace Hadley is talkback veteran Jason Morrison.
Frontrunners for Hadley’s appearance include current 2GB stars Ben Fordham and Chris O’Keefe (pictured)
He started his long media career at 2GB as a cadet reporter in 1989 at the age of 17.
Just 10 years later he was the the station’s news director – the youngest person to ever hold this role – and provided a weekly newspaper column.
Like Fordham and O’Keefe, Morrison is a drivetime veteran of 2GB, where he hosted the show between 2008 and 2010.
He was also Alan Jones’ regular breakfast host during the golden age of talkback and, according to industry legend, even surpassed him for a long period before defecting to rival 2UE.
Morrison eventually left radio for the glitz and glamor of television during an eight-year stint as news director of Seven’s Sydney, before taking some time off with his young family last year.
There is currently speculation that Sydney’s 2SM is pursuing him for a major role.
Insiders also point to former Nine player Liam Bartlett.
The award-winning journalist is a favorite among executives across the country’s commercial networks – and even headlined the national broadcaster for a while – for his tough, no-holds-barred approach to interviews.
This year he made headlines for his conversation with billionaire former media baron James Packer, and for breaking the ABC ‘fake gunshots’ scandal.
A former A Current Affair and 60 Minutes presenter, he has also worked for Seven’s Spotlight.
After leaving 60 Minutes for a second time five years ago, he enjoyed a successful stint at 2GB’s sister station 6PR in his hometown of Perth.
Sources said he had a strong relationship with Nine Radio boss Tom Malone while the duo worked together at 60 Minutes and should not be ruled out of the fray.