Dani Pola quits Hit 107 Adelaide breakfast after six months citing health issues
Gill and Pola
One of the co-hosts of struggling Adelaide station Hit107 Dani Pola is quitting after just six months citing “a personal health issue”.
The former Big Brother housemate was brought in by Southern Cross Austereo management alongside Amos Gill when they rebranded the SAFM station at the end of last year, but so far the station has struggled to find an audience languishing at the bottom of the FM commercial rankings in Adelaide.
Pola made the announcement on air this morning, after telling the Adelaide Advertiser: “I’m done. I need to look after my health. I’ve been having a few issues behind the scenes and breakfast radio doesn’t fit in with where I’m at mentally at the moment.”
The breakfast show lost audience share in the first ratings of the year – taking a share of 5.5 per cent, down from 6.2 per cent in the previous survey, and well down on the 7.5 per cent share held by previous breakfast hosts Michael Beveridge and Hayley Pearson in their last full ratings period in September.
“This is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do on radio,” she said on air this morning.
“There are certain things in my personal life I want to explore. My levels of happiness haven’t been up there in the last six to 12 months of my life and I’ve made the decision to look after myself, to step away from radio and delve into some other passions, and build back that happiness we all in life we deserve to feel and bring joy not just to myself but to others as well.”
She added: “Looking from the outside this is the dream job, people think you get here just before six and leave just after nine, but it is consuming and you have to be in the best place mentally and physically.”
James Pedersen, Southern Cross Austereo Adelaide’s general manager said: “As a business we are obviously disappointed to lose Dani, but we are fully supportive of her decision and wish her well for the future.”
Pola leaves the show on April 17, and no replacement has yet been appointed.
Alex Hayes
Will Adelaide listeners miss her? Their show wasn’t rating well as it was. Surely SCA must have more talent in their pipeline?
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The show was not rating. Who will SCA have in their pipeline to slot in?
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Someone from a reality show no doubt. It’s great to see radio and tv developing so much on air talent. No wonder Australia is among the worst offenders of content piracy. At least Podcasts are free for now.
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Well at least it was a change from the usual Adelaide breakfast radio lineup of:
* a footballer
* a comedian
* a woman
* a TV newsreader
* a News Ltd bovver boy
…either together or in various combinations thereof.
This pairing looked all tip and no iceberg from the outset. The only surprise is how quickly it ended.
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Disagree with Dan’s comments about “usual” Adelaide breakfast hosts types. Shane Lowe from the nova breakfast show is none of those types you listed. Proof that talent will get you the spot. And he is one of the most down to earth people I have met in my radio career.
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