Electrical engineer turned radio host and TV personality, Dan Anstey, has experienced several career changes throughout his life.
After six years co-hosting the Hit Network’s Sea FM Breakfast on the Gold Coast with Bianca Dye and Ben Hannant, Anstey packed up his Gold Coast life to return home to Brisbane with his young family.
His most recent career move is the result of a new on-air gig with Triple M Breakfast’s Marto and Margaux every weekday from 5.30 am.
Before joining Sea FM, Anstey held on-air roles with The Fox in Melbourne and was a regular TV and event host. His new role working alongside Greg ‘Marto’ Martin and Margaux Parker kicked off at the end of May; additionally, he joined Weekend Today as a weather presenter earlier this year.
Anstey spoke to Mediaweek about working seven days a week, returning home, and transitioning into a new role.
“I couldn’t be happier to be back. I’m walking around in boardshorts in the middle of winter right now,” he said.
The radio host and TV presenter has had a jam-packed schedule amid an interstate move. He credits his ability to work seven days a week while moving cities to his wife, Clare.
“The only reason it’s possible is because she’s working harder than me.
“It’s insane to work seven days a week, and it’s not tenable in the long term. But we both thought that’ll be good for me, which in turn will be good for her because when we get a little bit more settled, she’ll get back into work.”
“I’ve never been busier, but I don’t think I’ve ever been happier,” he added.
Ben Hannant, Bianca Dye, Dan Anstey
On his six years at Sea FM, Anstey said his favourite memories range from the small inside jokes the team built with listeners to the larger impact they had on people in need.
“I loved talking to our listeners and I think we had a cool little club going on where we had in-jokes. So that was a massive highlight for me, just the kind of little audience we built and the little club we had.”
Aside from joking with listeners, Anstey said some of his other highlights were the initiatives they embarked on to raise money for important causes or individuals and communities experiencing hardships.
“In this job, we’re not saving lives, but it’s important to me because it’s the worst time of someone’s day when they’re driving to work. If we can make them smile at that time of day, that’s all we have to do, and that isn’t life-saving, but it can be life-changing.”
Anstey said one of the toughest parts about transitioning to another radio job is creating new jokes and building rapport with the co-hosts.
“The show [Sea FM] was really starting to sing, we were in a beautiful groove, and I knew they would have to rebuild with a new anchor, and I would have to build rapport with Marto and Margaux.”
Pictured left to right: Greg ‘Marto’ Martin, Margaux Parker and Dan Anstey.
Despite this, Anstey admits the process has already been much easier than anticipated.
“It’s been so easy with Marto and Margaux. Marto has been doing it for 21 years, so he’s adapted and is good at cutting out the bullshit. And Margaux is new, but she’s great. We had a little bit of rapport already, which was good.
“So it’s been really, really fun, it’s been less painful than I thought it would be and we’re all getting a sense of each other now and starting to rip into each other.
“I’m thankful it’s been pretty quick, but it will be nowhere near as good as it will in a month and then six months or a year. It just takes time.”
When asked about what’s next, Anstey said he’s finally reached an age where he can start to turn down opportunities.
“In the beginning, you have to say yes to absolutely everything, even the things you’re not going to enjoy, because they’ll make you better at things.
“Just keep saying yes to things that sound good, and then eventually you get to a point where you’re busy enough that you can start saying no to the things you don’t want to do.”
Listen to Dan Anstey on Triple M Breakfast with Marto and Margaux at 5:30 am weekdays.