Is 2DayFM cursed? All the failed breakfast shows of the last 10 years as Jimmy Smith quits the Jimmy & Nath with Emma Breakfast Show

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Ugh, it’s happening again! Poor Jimmy Smith just became the latest breakfast host to crash and burn at 2DayFM. Honestly, it’s like that station is cursed when it comes to morning shows. I’m a huge fan of breakfast radio, and it’s so frustrating to see another good host go down at 2DayFM. It feels like they just can’t get it right!

Jimmy, age 35, announced on Friday that he’s leaving his role co-hosting the Jimmy & Nath Breakfast Show with Emma, as he needs to focus on his well-being.

‘This has been one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make,’ he said in a statement.

Having some time off this week helped me realize I’ve been dealing with some serious mental health challenges. I’m not doing well at the moment, and I need to prioritize my recovery.

Smith’s co-hosts Nath Roye and Emma Chow will continue with the show for the rest of the year.

He’s the most recent of several well-known personalities to host the breakfast show on 2DayFM.

2DayFM has tried seven different on-air teams in hopes of regaining listeners after Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson left for KIIS FM in 2013.

Merrick Watts, Jules Lund, and Sophie Monk with Mel Brown – 2014

In 2014, after Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson switched to KIIS FM, Merrick Watts, Jules Lund, Sophie Monk, and Mel Brown began hosting the breakfast radio show.

However, the group didn’t last long, with their radio show ending by January 2015.

Mel B, formerly of the Spice Girls, was the first to leave the show when her six-month contract ended. Sophie Monk followed, explaining that the early morning schedule was the reason she couldn’t continue.

Dan Debuf and Maz Compton – 2015

In 2015, Dan and Maz were given the highly sought-after opportunity to host Sydney’s breakfast radio show, after previously hosting both evening and drive-time programs.

Dan and Maz hosted the breakfast show for just eight months before being moved to weekends. This change happened when a new show featuring Rove McManus and Sam Frost took over the breakfast slot.

When Dan and Maz were taken off the air, they hadn’t managed to attract a large audience in Sydney, with only 3.6% of listeners tuning in.

Rove McManus and Sam Frost – 2016

Another high-profile duo that failed to capture audiences’ ears were Rove McManus and Sam Frost. 

Taking over the slot in November 2015, the pair struggled to gain traction.

In 2016, they started with only 3% of the listeners in the Sydney radio market, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

In January 2017, Rove and Sam moved from the breakfast slot to a national nightly program.

Okay, so things shifted around on the show. Merrick and Jules, after a good run, were taken off the air to make room for Dan Debuf and Maz Compton. It’s common in radio and TV – networks often try new pairings to see what resonates with the audience, and that’s what happened here.

It seemed like a difficult situation when you looked at it, but I actually learned a great deal from the experience,” Merrick said to Confidential at the time.

‘I learnt a lot about radio, about myself as a broadcaster.’

Em Rusciano and Harley Breen – 2017 

Em Rusciano and Harley Breen took over the slot in 2017.

A year later Harley announced he was leaving the station to focus on his stand-up comedy career. 

Immediately after making the announcement, Em became visibly upset on live television, sharing that she was deeply saddened by Harley’s leaving.

Harley shared with news.com.au that he and Em haven’t spoken since he left the 2DayFM breakfast show six months ago.

‘Ah, no, we haven’t been hanging out for spritzes in the afternoon,’ he said.

Em Rusciano, Ed Kavalee and Grant Denyer – 2018

In December 2017, Grant Denyer was revealed as the new co-host of 2DayFM’s breakfast show, joining Em Rusciano and Ed Kavalee.

Only eight months after starting the show, Em announced in early September that she would be leaving to concentrate on her stand-up comedy and prepare for the arrival of her third child.

‘Casual bombshell alert. This Friday will be my last day on air for 2DayFM breakfast, and I want to make it crystal clear that this is entirely my decision and not one I made lightly,’ she said on air at the time.

Honestly, the moment I learned I was pregnant, I knew I wanted this to be my final year hosting the breakfast radio show.

Ash London was brought in as a replacement before joining the show permanently in January 2019.

Grant Denyer, Ed Kavalee and Ash London – 2019

Grant, Ed and Ash continued to flounder in the breakfast slot.

According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, the show experienced its lowest ratings in nearly two years when the three viewers were watching.

In the July 2019 Sydney radio survey, they had just 3.1 per cent of the total breakfast audience.

In a 2023 interview on the I’ve Got News for You podcast, Denyer shared that being let go from 2DayFM’s Sydney breakfast show was likely the most difficult professional setback he’d experienced.

‘One what hurt probably I think more than many [was] breakfast radio,’ he said.

It was especially upsetting because I’d just had lunch with a company leader a week before, and they’d led me to believe I’d be getting a new five-year contract.

Just a week after finishing a show, I walked into a meeting at 9:05 AM and was told it had been my last one – and that they hoped I’d enjoyed my time on the radio!

Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan – 2020

I was absolutely gutted when I heard the news last August! Seriously, devastated. They just announced that Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee, and Erin Molan were leaving breakfast radio, and it was such a shock. It felt like a real bombshell, honestly. I couldn’t believe my ears!

Okay, so, I’m absolutely devastated, but apparently the breakfast crew – my absolute favorites – have said they won’t be back on 2DayFM in 2025! They put out a statement saying it’s because their families are spread out in different cities and it’s just too hard to make the show work with that going on. Honestly, it breaks my heart, but I get it… family comes first, I guess. Still, no more mornings with them? Ugh, I’m going to miss them SO much!

We’re sad to announce we’re leaving the breakfast show to allow 2DayFM to find a new team to take it forward.

They were replaced with loveable night shift larrikins Jimmy Smith and Nath Roye.

Following the results of the GfK Radio 360 Survey 4, the Hughesy, Ed and Erin radio show saw a slight decrease in listeners, dropping 1.4 points to a 3.6% share of the market earlier this year.

After the announcement, Southern Cross Austereo expressed their gratitude to the radio hosts, acknowledging their dedication and enthusiasm.

SCA’s Dave Cameron expressed deep gratitude to Hughesy, Ed, and Erin for consistently delivering a lively and enjoyable breakfast show on 2DayFM since 2020. He wished them all the best in their future endeavors.

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2025-12-01 03:20