Ray Hadley is scrapped on 4BC Brisbane: replacement revealed
Ray Hadley’s popular morning show has been axed in Brisbane after eight years on the city’s airwaves.
4BC Weekends host Bill McDonald has been named the new host of the city’s morning slot.
The shock move comes into effect immediately as Queenslander McDonald replaced Sydney-based Hadley on air for the first time on Monday.
This is despite Hadley’s Morning being 4BC’s highest rated show in recent ratings.
Radio presenter Ray Hadley banned from airwaves in Brisbane
Max Dudley, head of content at 4BC, says the move was based on a local content strategy.
“Eight years ago, Ray added 4BC to his long list of network stations and made a huge impact in Brisbane and across Queensland,” he said.
“We are delighted that Ray will still be heard on the Brisbane airwaves during Team Continuous Call, State of Origin, NRL Finals and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”
Hadley’s show will continue to air weekdays on 2GB in Sydney.
He is currently on a ratings break and made no mention of his departure on 4BC last week.
4BC hails its successor McDonald as a well-known Brisbane media identity who anchored the 6pm news for two different networks and covered everything from the Olympics to Queensland storms and floods.
Brisbane listeners are already embracing the change.
“Loved listening to Ray, but I’m glad you updated us from here in Queensland,” one commented.
Another listener added: “Fantastic news. Common sense for a change. Queensland focused radio. It’s about time we finally got a good Qlder in this time slot.
A third wrote: “A new change – I like it. But I have to admit that I didn’t see it coming.
McDonald is a former Seven News presenter in Brisbane who is believed to have published a one-finger salute for the network after presenting its last newscast in 2018.
The Courier Mail revealed at the time that McDonald left a crude drawing of a hand with the middle finger raised on the channel’s “farewell wall” at their Queensland studio.
The farewell message, which depicts a hand “flipping the bird” and was signed “Goodbye from Bill”, is dated Friday March 9 – Mr McDonald’s last day on air.
