Triple M Poach Roy And HG From The National Broadcaster

Roy and HG have been ABC fixtures for over two decades, but a money flinging Austereo, no doubt attempting to rebuild itself with fresh talent after a disappointing couple of years ratings wise, has finally convinced the comic duo to jump ship.

HG Nelson and Roy Slaven have defected to commercial radio after 22 years at Triple J amid claims from the ABC youth network that the pair has sold out.

Triple M has wooed the larrikins, although the station was on the back foot yesterday after Triple J issued a statement about their departure.

Triple M’s parent company, Austereo, was forced to hastily say last night that the popular act would host the drive slot on Mondays and Fridays in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane from January 12.

The hope is that Roy and HG will prove to be a decent rival for Hamish and Andy who currently dominate drive time radiowaves, but when I heard about their defection this morning, my inner Carrie Bradshaw made an appearance. I couldn’t help but wonder… when it comes to searching for love in the Big Apple, are men and women really so different? are they poaching the duo eight years too late? Sure, the nation holds Roy and HG close to our collective hearts (the Sydney Olympics wouldn’t have been nearly as entertaining without them), but there are some out there who may think the pair have already reached the peak of their popularity. Shouldn’t Triple M be seeking out and nurturing new young talent if they really want their drive team to become a threat to Hamish and Andy in the long term?

All that said, here’s wishing Roy and HG the best of luck. There’s no way I’m going to label the duo as sell outs. The very term “sell out” pisses me off no end. 22 years at the national broadcaster is a damn good innings! I certainly wouldn’t begrudge them some commercial radio bucks – and the chance to host a prime time radio program twice a week (an aside: only on Mondays and Fridays? What on earth?) instead of an afternoon sports show each Saturday – after all that.

Of course, no one wants to hear them peppering their banter with talk of icy cold cans of Coke, but I think if any two personalities were going to be able to charm their way through the painful world of ad dominated radio, it’s Roy and HG. And they’ll be opening up a slot on Triple J which’ll hopefully be taken by an up and coming broadcaster or comedy ensemble, and the circle of wireless life will continue.

MORE: Radio duo HG Nelson and Roy Slaven leave Triple J for Triple M