Sydney radio host Jimmy Smith is the latest casualty in a long string of fallen breakfast hosts at 2DayFM.
Jimmy, 35, who co-hosts the Jimmy & Nath Breakfast Show with Emma, revealed on Friday he was stepping down to prioritise his mental health.
‘This has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make,’ he said in a statement.
‘Taking this week off made me realise just how much I’ve been struggling with my mental health. I’m not okay right now, and I need to step back and focus on getting well.’
Smith’s co-hosts Nath Roye and Emma Chow will continue with the show for the rest of the year.
His departure is the latest in a raft of high-profile announcers who have sat in the 2DayFM breakfast chair.
Sydney radio host Jimmy Smith is the latest casualty in a long string of fallen breakfast hosts at 2DayFM. Jimmy, 35, who co-hosts the Jimmy & Nath Breakfast Show with Emma, revealed on Friday he was stepping down to prioritise his mental health
Smith’s co-hosts Nath Roye and Emma Chow (pictured) will continue with the show for the rest of the year
In fact, the 2DayFM has gone through seven line-ups in an effort to claw back some ratings from Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson, who defected from the network to KIIS FM in 2013.
Merrick Watts, Jules Lund, and Sophie Monk with Mel Brown – 2014
Merrick Watts, Jules Lund, and Sophie Monk with Mel Brown took over breakfast radio following Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson’s move to KIIS FM in 2014.
However, the group didn’t last long, with their radio show ending by January 2015.
Former Spice Girl Mel B was the first to go after her six-month contract expired, followed by Sophie Monk, who cited early starts as the reason for her departure.
Dan Debuf and Maz Compton – 2015
After presenting both national night and drive-time slots, Dan and Maz were offered the illustrious Sydney breakfast program in 2015.
Dan and Maz lasted only eight months in the breakfast position before they were bumped to weekends in favour of a new show starring Rove McManus and Sam Frost.
At the time of their axing, Dan and Maz had failed to gain traction in the Sydney radio market, sitting on a 3.6 per cent audience share.
Merrick Watts, Jules Lund, and Sophie Monk with Mel Brown took over breakfast radio following Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson’s move to KIIS FM in 2014. However, the group didn’t last long, with their radio show ending by January 2015
After presenting both national night and drive-time slots, Dan and Maz were offered the illustrious Sydney breakfast program in 2015. Dan and Maz lasted only eight months in the breakfast position before they were bumped to weekends
Rove McManus and Sam Frost – 2016
Another high-profile duo that failed to capture audiences’ ears were Rove McManus and Sam Frost.
Taking over the slot in November 2015, the pair struggled to gain traction.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time that they began 2016 with just a 3 per cent share of the Sydney radio market.
In January 2017, Rove and Sam moved from the breakfast slot to a national nightly program.
Merrick and Jules were eventually removed from the timeslot to make way for Dan Debuf and Maz Compton.
‘I know it looks like a nightmare on paper, but for me personally I learnt a lot,’ Merrick told Confidential at the time.
‘I learnt a lot about radio, about myself as a broadcaster.’
Another high-profile duo that failed to capture audiences’ ears were Rove McManus and Sam Frost. Taking over the slot in November 2015, the pair struggled to gain traction
Em Rusciano and Harley Breen – 2017
Em Rusciano and Harley Breen took over the slot in 2017.
A year later Harley announced he was leaving the station to focus on his stand-up comedy career.
Following his announcement, Em broke down live on air, admitting she was ‘really sad’ about Harley’s departure.
Six months after leaving the 2DayFM breakfast show, Harley revealed to news.com.au that he no longer speaks to Em.
‘Ah, no, we haven’t been hanging out for spritzes in the afternoon,’ he said.
Em Rusciano, Ed Kavalee and Grant Denyer – 2018
In December 2017, it was announced that Grant Denyer would join Em Rusciano and Ed Kavalee to host 2DayFM’s breakfast show.
Em Rusciano and Harley Breen took over the slot in 2017. A year later Harley announced he was leaving the station to focus on his stand-up comedy career
In December 2017, it was announced that Grant Denyer would join Em Rusciano and Ed Kavalee to host 2DayFM’s breakfast show. Just eight months after they took over the ill-fated slot, Em announced in early September, that she would be leaving to focus on her comedy career and the birth of her third child
However, just eight months after they took over the ill-fated slot, Em announced in early September she would be leaving to focus on her comedy career and the birth of her third child.
‘Casual bombshell alert. This Friday will be my last day on air for 2DayFM breakfast, and I want to make it crystal clear that this is entirely my decision and not one I made lightly,’ she said on air at the time.
‘The truth is, when I found out I was pregnant, I made my mind up on the spot that this year would be my last year of breakfast radio.’
Ash London was brought in as a replacement before joining the show permanently in January 2019.
Grant Denyer, Ed Kavalee and Ash London – 2019
Grant, Ed and Ash continued to flounder in the breakfast slot.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time that the trio saw the show crash for its ‘worst ratings in almost two years’.
In the July 2019 Sydney radio survey, they had just 3.1 per cent of the total breakfast audience.
Grant, Ed and Ash continued to flounder in the breakfast slot. The Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time that the trio saw the show crash for its ‘worst ratings in almost two years’. In the July 2019 Sydney radio survey, they had just 3.1 per cent of the total breakfast audience
Speaking to the I’ve Got News for You podcast in 2023, Denyer revealed his exit from 2DayFM’s Sydney breakfast show was probably his most painful dismissal.
‘One what hurt probably I think more than many [was] breakfast radio,’ he said.
‘That one really hurt because I’d had lunch with a head executive a week earlier, who promised me they were going to sign me for, like, another five years,’ he continued.
‘And then a week later I finish a show and at 9.05am I walk into a meeting and they say, “Well, that was your last show! I hope you enjoyed being in radio!”‘
Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan – 2020
The network broke the news that Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan’s time on breakfast had sensationally come to an end back in August last year.
‘We’ve loved our time together on 2DayFM Breakfast, however, due to some of our families living in different cities we are unable to commit to 2025,’ the trio said in a statement at the time.
The network broke the news that Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan’s time on breakfast had sensationally come to an end back in August last year
‘So with a heavy heart we are moving aside so 2DayFM can find the team to take them forward in Breakfast.’
They were replaced with loveable night shift larrikins Jimmy Smith and Nath Roye.
The news came after the GfK Radio 360 Survey 4 saw Hughesy, Ed and Erin drop 1.4 points to a 3.6 market share earlier in the year.
Southern Cross Austereo went on to thank the radio hosts for their ‘passion and commitment’ following the announcement.
‘We are incredibly thankful to Hughesy, Ed and Erin for their unwavering dedication in making the 2DayFM Breakfast show a fun way to wake up Sydney each morning since 2020, and we wish them the very best with the continuation of their outstanding careers,’ SCA Chief Content Officer Dave Cameron said.
