The ABC has lost another of its long-standing presenters who announced his resignation on air, just months after he criticized the broadcaster’s new offices in western Sydney.
Radio Sydney presenter Richard Glover, 66, on Friday announced his departure from the 3.30pm to 6.30pm slot on the ABC show Drive after 26 years.
Glover told his listeners that he had “one of the best jobs in Australian journalism and I feel like I’ve owned it for quite some time.”
From here, Glover said that while he may return to the ABC, it won’t happen right away and he will instead focus on his Sydney Morning Herald column.
She also said she will spend her newly free time working on another book and taking care of her three grandchildren.
During his career, Glover often predicted the death of radio, but now he firmly believes it’s not going anywhere as podcasts and audiobooks rise in popularity.
He is scheduled to present his final program on November 29.
Earlier this week, Radio National breakfast presenter Patricia Karvelas announced she was leaving the ABC News TV role, while popular News Breakfast sports presenter Tony Armstrong left the team a couple of weeks ago.
Radio Sydney presenter Richard Glover, 66, on Friday announced his departure from the 3.30pm to 6.30pm slot of the ABC show Drive after 26 years.
Glover’s resignation follows that of breakfast presenter Patricia Karvelas and popular News Breakfast sports presenter Tony Armstrong, who announced theirs in recent weeks.
Glover thanked everyone who worked with him over the years to make his show a success.
“It has a fantastic audience: funny, wise, full of intellect but also willing to share some of the deepest human stories,” he said.
‘There is the possibility of doing anything. Every afternoon there is politics, literature, music and comedy, all competing for position.
“The projector plays behind your eyes, not in front of them.”
Former 7.30 presenter Leigh Sales paid tribute to Glover in an Instagram post on Friday afternoon.
“He’s been absolutely fantastic: warm, wise, good-humored and intelligent,” she said.
‘The exact type of person you want to keep you company on the radio, in good times and bad.
‘Bravo Ricardo, you did well son.’
Glover’s successor has yet to be announced, but his advice to whoever inherits the job was to simply “enjoy it.”
Glover started at ABC in 1996 on Mornings before moving to Drive two years later.
Of the talent he spoke to while on the air, Mr. Glover said his favorites were Bill Bryson, Clive James, Julie Andrews, Dolly Parton, Lou Reed and David Attenborough.
In recent months, Glover has been one of the staunchest critics of the ABC’s new office in Parramatta and even wrote an opinion piece about the move for the Sydney Morning Herald.
He has been nominated for three Walkley Awards, one of which was for his radio work.
Glover also took home the Guinness World Record in 2011 for longest television interview.
However, in recent months, Mr. Glover has reportedly been one of the staunchest critics of the ABC’s new office in Parramatta.
His views were often made public through a column he wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald in June.
The piece was titled: “Give me back my landline, my desk drawers, and my sad old office.”
The column was widely regarded as Glover’s “de facto public complaint” against the ABC.
All ABC Sydney weekday radio programs are broadcast from the Parramatta office, except for Craig Reucassel’s breakfast show.