Today (Monday, January 19) saw the return of “normal” service on Brisbane’s airwaves after the long (some say too long) holiday break — with some popular shows back just as they were, one returning against all odds, and some new voices added to the mix.
Obviously, I couldn’t listen to everything, but I did try to hear a little of the “new” programs — meaning Dean Miller and Sofie Formica on 4BC and newbie Nick Allen-Ducat with David “Luttsy” Luterall and Susie O’Neill on Nova 106.9 — and the renewed Robin Bailey, Kip Wightman and Corey Oates show on KIIS 97.3.
First off the blocks was 4BC, which began around 5.37am. Formica is no stranger to the talk station, having presented the Afternoon show for the past few years and filling in on Breakfast after Peter Fegan’s early exit in mid-October last year.
Miller will be known to older listeners, of which 4BC has many, for co-hosting Triple M Breakfast a couple of decades ago, and a little more recently on various Channel Seven’s weekend lifestyle shows. He also helmed some casual shifts on 4BC last year.
While all the stations have been in holiday mode since mid-December, 4BC has gone a much longer time without a permanent Breakfast show. I imagine that adds a little pressure on the duo and their team to pull something out of the hat
So, how is the chemistry? Well, they sound like the old friends that they are.
Their first break began with a bombshell revelation — Formica claiming that she “nearly died” over the weekend. Details of that were withheld for later in the show, so I can’t tell you now.
Miller and Formica also launched some new segments: a “rumour file” (an old radio standby, and one that might worry the lawyers down the track), and “banger of the day” — saying that the talk station would play just one song each day in the first break after 5.30am.
It kicked off with INXS’s New Sensation — with a bespoke introduction from the band’s Kirk Pengilly.
Here’s a little of what early risers heard:
The two FM stations went to air around 6am, with the KIIS crew sounding very excited and grateful to be back — thanking the listeners who made it happen.
Before the KIIS team came back on the newsreader promised they would “take the show to new heights” — teasing their outside broadcast from the billboard announcing their return — and the trio promised an exclusive appearance by Robert Irwin.
Bailey spoke about the “massive support” they had received.
Update: Bailey also had an on-air encouter with her boss, ARN CEO Michael Stephenson, getting him to admit sacking the trio last year was a “dumb-arse decision”. Mumbrella has that story here.
In an email sent around on Sunday night, Nova 106.9 promoted its offering as “the same Nova breakfast show you know and love... but with a fresh and fun new feel”.
On air just after 6am, the intro declared “the queen is home” — a reference to O’Neill, whose bombshell was that she moved to a new bedroom overnight to get away from her husband’s snoring.
She she “never thought I’d find myself back in this room” [the studio] but complained about having “a droopy microphone”.
There was also some banter about Allen-Ducat’s stature and the time Luttsy had a fake tan, and the first song was The Killers’ Mr Brightside.
Here’s a little audio:
We didn’t hear a lot from Allen-Ducat in the first break, but he had at least one fan before he even went to air.
The Courier-Mail’s Mike Gambaro dropped into my socials over the weekend to say, “I feel like Brisbane will be besotted by Nick.… Has a genuine love and passion for the city and I’m so excited to see him thrive in 2026.”
Will the punters agree? Well, I suppose we won’t know until March when Survey 1 results are released.
Tomorrow’s ratings results release (which I will write about as soon as I can) will only tell us about Survey 8 last year — which really does seem like a long, long time ago.
Although, according to this graphic (with my highlighting) from the CRA (Commercial Radio and Audio) site, the results for the final survey of this year will be released tomorrow. I reckon a lot of people in the industry wish they had access to those numbers…
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P.S.
Triple M has released a list of its most-played songs, and there are quite a few “bangers” among them. How do they align with your tastes?
Sounds of Then (This Is Australia) — GANGgajang
Jump — Van Halen
Don’t Change — INXS
Bohemian Rhapsody — Queen
Dumb Things — Paul Kelly and the Messengers
Are You Gonna Go My Way — Lenny Kravitz
You Shook Me All Night Long — AC/DC
Run to Paradise — Choirboys
Livin’ on a Prayer — Bon Jovi
Better — The Screaming Jets