Triple M has confirmed its drive show lineup for 2025. As expected there will now only be two drive programs across the vast Triple M national network.
In a surprise development, Marty Sheargold has made a bold comeback…at least in the northern states.
After a not-so successful stint in Melbourne breakfast, the radio veteran is being moved back to his traditional radio home – the drive show.
Sheargold will fill the 4-6pm drive slot in Sydney and Brisbane, while continuing to deliver an one hour show from 3pm nationally across the Triple M network.
Triple M listeners in southern states where AFL is king will receive the JB and Billy drive show with James Brayshaw and Bill Brownless.
See also: Gus Worland quits Triple M: After 16 years the Grill Team and Rush Hour host hits the off button
Marty returns to drive
Sheargold has enjoyed his biggest radio success in drive shows. As co-host on the national program The Shebang with Fifi Box, they made a mark in drive in the early 2000s before the show moved to Sydney breakfast and fizzled.
Sheargold later turned up at Nova and spent several years as part of the successful Kate, Tim and Marty drive show.
Marty Sheargold commented: “I’m looking forward to returning to the drive shift for NSW and Queensland listeners in 2025 and giving them the extended version of the show. The commute home is a time to unwind and finish the day with a chat and a laugh, and that’s exactly what I will be aiming to deliver. I also wanted to thank the teams from the Sydney, Brisbane/Gold Coast and Queensland Rush Hour shows who have all had amazing stints and been hugely entertaining. I’m committed to carrying on their legacies.”
The move to extend JB and Billy across two extra states had been flagged some time ago what SCA axed the existing Rush Hour programs in Adelaide and Perth.
James Brayshaw and Bill Brownless commented: “We’re excited that our live show will now be extended for our listeners in South and Western Australia, which are legendary footy states with an incredible history of successes, as Bill knows because he attends all their premiership reunions. We also want to acknowledge the Adelaide and Perth Rush Hour teams, many of whom are great mates, and congratulate them on their shows. We don’t underestimate the opportunity we have been given and we are focused on creating a show that honours them and their listeners.”
SCA chief content officer Dave Cameron oversaw the moves and explained: “Triple M in 2025 will continue its transformative content approach for the continued audience growth that we have seen in the last two years on Australia’s legendary Triple M Network, by delivering two already well-loved shows that will both extend into new markets next year in drive.
“Marty Sheargold is one of this country’s favourite comedians and radio personalities, and we know how much listeners nationally love hearing him in the afternoon already. To now get an extended version of the Marty Sheargold Show for our NSW and Queensland listeners is hugely exciting. Likewise, JB and Billy are already household names in Australia’s southern states and have a legion of fans in Adelaide and Perth, so we know that listeners will tune in for their unique blend of serious sport chats and banter, which can only come from decades of friendship.
“We sincerely thank our existing state Rush Hour shows for their hard work and commitment over the last few years and look forward to a different approach nationally in 2025 with more exciting announcements to come soon.”
The 2025 Triple M Drive line-up commences across the Triple M network in January 2025.
Outgoing Brisbane Rush Hour team: Liam Flanagan, Leisel Jones and Ben ‘Dobbo’ Dobbin
Another blow for Brisbane radio
The Sheargold move leaves current Brisbane drive hosts Leisel Jones, Liam Flanagan, and Ben “Dobbo” Dobbin without roles when the program wraps up next month, reported The Courier-Mail.
“It’s very devastating news,” Jones said on air last week.
“It’s something that we’ve been really proud of here at the Rush Hour and what we’ve built and all about local stories.”
The decision to run The Marty Sheargold Show here comes despite the strong performance of The Rush Hour, which held a 10.1 per cent market share and secured third place in Brisbane’s drivetime slot, according to the latest GfK survey.
“We never thought the show would work as well as it did, and we were hoping to do this together for the next 10 years. For whatever reason, it’s not to be,” Dobbin said
Also now without a radio gig are Townsville presenters Annabelle Brett (A.B.) and Elliot Lovejoy who were the most listened-to drive show in the region according to the 2024 radio ratings from Xtra Insights, but that didn’t save them from the chopping block.
See also: Triple M in transition – 12 months after ARN grenade, where to for the SCA brand?