KIIS 101.1 has revealed that Lauren Phillips will be the person stepping into the breakfast role co-host job alongside Jason “Jase” Hawkins.
In March this year, the station announced that one half of Jase and PJ, Polly “PJ” Harding was quitting the show to return home to marry her fiancée BJ. Her departure marked the end of a six-year on-air Jase and PJ partnership – three in New Zealand and three in Australia.
Lauren Phillips landed the presenter role on Nine’s travel and lifestyle show Postcards in April 2008, and since then has also hosted Mornings and A Current Affair.
She currently presents the weather on Weekend Today, which she will continue to do on top of her new gig.
Phillips was flagged as a potential co-host for KIIS 101.1 very early on, alongside 3pm PickUp co-host Kate Langbroek.
“I did Summer breakfast and it sort of came from nowhere for me but then a conversation started about how much I enjoyed doing Summer breakfast, and then we started chatting and I was like maybe this is going somewhere,’’ Phillips said.
“You could have seriously knocked me over with a feather when they told me what they were thinking. It’s really exciting, I’m super pumped about it.”
ARN’s chief content officer, Duncan Campbell said: “KIIS 101.1 will now deliver Melbourne’s ‘show in the know’. Together with their love and passion for Melbourne, Jase & Lauren in the Morning will be fun and fresh, keeping listeners in the loop across all the news around town.
“Lauren was part of our KIIS Summer Breakfast Show and was an immediate hit with listeners for her likeable nature and infectious laughter. We are so pleased she will now be joining Jase, she was the perfect choice to take over from Polly ‘PJ’ Harding after she announced she was leaving KIIS to return home to New Zealand.
“Jase and Lauren each have a terrific sense of humour, plus their easy-going rapport makes them a perfect fit for the show and KIIS 101.1. They will be a dynamic duo in the Melbourne market.
“There will also be further announcements coming very soon on who else will be joining Jase & Lauren in the Morning.”
Jason ‘Jase’ Hawkins added: “Lauren and I have had quite a few covert catch-ups over the past few months where we’ve been plotting and planning the new show and it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve been a fan of Lauren’s work for years and she makes me laugh, a lot. She’s got the perfect energy for breakfast radio – you just want to be around her. I can’t wait to share with Melbourne what we’ve planned.”
Jase & Lauren in the Morning launches on Monday, August 9.