Brisbane’s 4BC has announced it will be taking on a new direction in the breakfast timeslot as Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare and Mark Hine prepare to bid farewell.
The move to switch breakfast shows means the station will have its third breakfast host in just over two years.
Laurel, Gary and Mark made the move from 4KQ to 4BC just over two years ago saw them replace Neil Breen in the breakfast slot.
Before joining 4BC, Laurel, Gary and Mark had been part of the morning routine for millions of Brisbane listeners for over 30 years.
Reporting for Mediaweek about the station switch in 2022, Tess Connery said:
The worst was feared for Brisbane’s longest continual running breakfast show, Laurel, Gary and Mark, when they signed off from their final 4KQ show on June 24th. The trio left 4KQ after the sale of the station to Sports Entertainment Network (SEN) as a result of ARN’s acquisition of Grant Broadcasters, and their need to comply with Australia’s media ownership laws.
Swooping in to save the day was Nine’s 4BC, who have given Laurel Edwards, Gary Clare, and Mark Hine a new on-air home.
Previous Breakfast host Neil Breen has made the move to the Drive, while Drive host Scott Emerson has taken up a new role as a political contributor across 4BC and Nine Radio’s other talk stations.
Head of content for Nine Radio, Greg Byrnes, said on Friday: “Laurel, Gary and Mark have played a crucial role in our live and local content strategy. It’s been a privilege to have them engage with Brisbane through 4BC but we’ve decided to take a new approach to breakfast.
“Their loyal listeners, and all of us at 4BC, will miss them greatly, but we’ll be sending them off in a style worthy of their remarkable careers.”
4BC breakfast ratings remained strong after the trio took over from Neil Breen. However, they slipped this year significantly where they started to trail the new king of Brisbane AM breakfast radio BBQ Bob Gallagher.
Laurel, Gary and Mark are taking the spring survey break this week and return on Monday, September 23, for a final week of their show.
Their final day on air will be Friday, September 27.
Nine said an announcement on Brisbane’s 4BC Breakfast lineup for the remainder of 2024 will be made soon.
Peter Gleeson finished at 4BC last week
There was another departure at the station last week. Acting content manager Holly Green shared that the station was losing its drive presenter Peter Gleeson.
Green told staff in an internal memo:
Gleeso has accepted an appointment as the CEO of the new Q Greyhound Complex.
As you would all be aware, Greyhound racing has run through Gleeso’s blood for decades, so when an opportunity like this presents, it’s simply too good to pass by.
I have no doubt Gleeso will bring the same “Dogged” determination to this new role as he did as 4BC’s drive presenter.
While we will miss him, I’m sure you will all join with me in wishing him all the very best.
Gleeso’s last show will be this Friday, in line with our scheduled survey break, with Gary Hardgrave filling in over the holiday week.
A further announcement regarding the drive line up for the remainder of the year will follow soon.