EXCLUSIVE
Talkback radio titan Ray Hadley is in secret talks to move into a full-time television role with a rival network after concluding his impressive run at Nine next month.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal the veteran broadcaster met with Sky News Australia executives just hours after announcing his departure from Nine’s flagship 2GB live station last Thursday.
Sources said Hadley arrived at the news channel’s Sydney headquarters for the undercover chat after most of the station’s staff had already gone home for the day.
He then spent more than an hour in deep conversation with the News Corp-owned network’s chief executive, Paul Whittaker, and program director, Mark Calvert.
Hadley will bid farewell to her top-rated morning show for the final time on December 13 despite having around two years left to run her multi-million dollar deal with Nine.
Sky News Australia insiders said the network was determined to lure the award-winning broadcaster – and his loyal audience – to the political news channel, with Whittaker personally rolling the red carpet for the potential marquee signing.
Ray Hadley will end at Nine’s flagship Sydney talk station, 2GB, on December 13 after hosting its top-rated morning show for more than two decades.
The veteran broadcaster wants to spend more time with his wife Sophie
Although Hadley’s contract is understood to prevent him from appearing on a rival radio network, sources said he could be free to join Sky News Australia under the terms of the deal as the TV channel does not compete directly with Nine Radio.
Any deal between Hadley and the network would likely see him take a break over the summer to spend time with his family before beginning his on-air duties in the new year.
Sources said Hadley’s strong political views actually meant he had long been more in tune with the sensibilities of Sky News Australia than those of Nine and would be a natural fit for the network.
On the day Hadley announced his retirement, he broadcast a lengthy conversation with Sky News reporter Peter Stefanovic about the US election, before a similar chat with his Nine colleague and Stefanovic’s brother Karl.
There are suggestions that the potential deal could also see rugby league, commentating very well, continue to call football matches for Fox Sports.
Speculation is already rife in the halls of Sky News Australia about where Hadley would fit within the broadcaster’s imposing political lineup.
Insiders suggest he was probably offered his own prime-time show in a bid to lure him to the channel.
The network already has a strong group of conservative stars, including Andrew Bolt, Peta Credlin, Paul Murray and Chris Kenny, who attracted attention last year after breaking with their colleagues and backing the failed Voice to Parliament.
Sky News boss Paul Whittaker, nicknamed Boris because of his resemblance to Wimbledon legend Boris Becker and his love of tennis, is determined to lure Hadley to the News Corp network.
It wouldn’t be the first time Nine Radio has lost one of its popular presenters to Sky News Australia.
Former Sydney breakfast radio king Alan Jones also moved from 2GB to Sky News when he said goodbye to his top-rated show four years ago.
Jones ended the Nine Radio station on 29 May 2020, after telling listeners that he was struggling with serious health problems and that his doctors had warned him: “If you don’t stop, you will fall.”
A month later, Sky News Australia revealed it had hired Jones amid much fanfare to front its own news and current affairs show, four nights a week at 8pm.
However, Jones was unable to replicate his radio success on the television channel and his show was eventually abandoned after just over a year.
Sky News Australia sources said network executives were confident that Hadley had a much greater connection with her audience and would be much more successful.
Hadley is also more than a decade younger than Jones, having turned 70 just six weeks ago, and is still at the top of her game, although a move to late-night television would be beneficial for family and lifestyle reasons.
Former 2GB breakfast presenter Alan Jones made the jump to Sky News Australia but it was a flop
The radio legend announced his shock decision to hang up his on-air microphone on Thursday, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife Sophie, children and grandchildren after decades of starting at 3.30am
The tireless broadcaster told his listeners he had been thinking about retiring for some time and first raised the possibility with Nine Radio boss Tom Malone in a meeting in Paris while covering the Olympics.
“I accomplished a lot more than I thought I would,” Hadley told listeners.
‘My children, Dan, Laura, Emma and Sarah have made many sacrifices over the years so that I can realize my ambitions.
‘Seven years ago I had no grandchildren, now I have seven and I want to spend more time in the company of Ava, Noah, Ella, Lola, Tommy, Remi and Millar along with their parents.
‘Over three years ago, I married the most incredible woman, Sophie. She is the most understanding, reassuring and loving wife anyone could ask for and she deserves a break.
‘If I publish it in a newspaper or other media, she gets more upset than me.
‘In September I turned 70 and I started to think about how much time I have left on this earth and if I want to continue getting up at 3:30 in the morning.
Hadley has been a dominant force for 2GB since joining the network from rivals 2UE in 2002.
‘I started my conversation with (Nine Radio) CEO Tom Malone about my future some time ago, and while I was in Paris, we spoke where I expressed to him that perhaps I could start looking for a replacement.
—I broached the subject again with Tom last week.
“He listened, but I don’t think he thought I was serious, but I was and because he’s known me for almost 40 years, he concluded I was serious.”
“So December 13th of this year will be my last day broadcasting the Ray Hadley Morning Show.”
Although Nine executives praised Hadley’s achievement after he announced his retirement, his unexpected departure has left them with the difficult task of replacing him during the critical morning hours.
The Ray Hadley Morning Show has reigned in Sydney between 9am and 12pm for more than two decades for 2GB, recently winning its 160th consecutive ratings poll and is also syndicated on more than 30 stations.
Hadley has been recognized with 35 Australian Commercial Radio Awards for his work in news, current affairs and sport (more than any other broadcaster) and was inducted into the ACRA Hall of Fame in 2017.
The former taxi driver was also awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002 for services to rugby league and in recognition of his charity work along with an induction into the Sydney Cricket Ground’s Media Hall of Honor in 2021.
Ben Fordham is one of the favorites to take on Hadley’s role, although it means Nine’s top brass would have to find a replacement for him in the equally important breakfast role.
Sources within Nine said network executives would look for an established radio star to replace Hadley in the highly competitive slot.
Ben Fordham has become an early favorite tasked with winning over Hadley’s audience, having successfully replaced Jones in the breakfast show’s equally important slot four years ago.
The only downside is that the chain would have to find a replacement for the award-winning Fordham at breakfast.
Other key contenders include Mark Levy, who currently presents late-night show Wide World of Sports six nights a week, former 2GB wunderkind Jason Morrison and former 60 Minutes star turned Seven Spotlight Liam Bartlett.