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Mick Molloy and Jane Kennedy to replace Merrick Watts on Triple M in new national drive show

Triple M’s Hot Breakfast co-host Mick Molloy is set to partner with actress, comedian and radio presenter Jane Kennedy in 2018 as the co-hosts of a new Triple M national drive show.

The duo will replace Merrick Watts, who announced his departure one month ago.

Molloy has spent the past seven years on Melbourne’s FM Breakfast show, The Hot Breakfast, while Kennedy began her career on radio, appearing on Triple M with Molloy on the show, The D-Generation.

They have also worked together on ABC’s The Late Show.

Commenting on his new role, Molloy said he was looking forward to returning to drive.

“I can’t wait to get back to my natural habitat on the drive shift. I imagine the show will be a lot like my usual conversations with Jane minus a couple of good bottles of vino,” Molloy said.

Kennedy said she couldn’t think of a better partner.

I’m rapt to be working with Mick again and I can’t think of anyone better to do Drive with. Plus Micky’s usual excuse of sleeping through the alarm won’t wash anymore!”

The new show will be Triple M’s first completely national drive-time offering, commencing on air in Melbourne in October before being syndicated to more than 30 markets across the country in January.

Current drive show host Watts, returned to Triple M in November 2015, after a brief stint at  South Cross Austereo’s 2DayFM, hosting its breakfast show with Jules Lund, Mel B and Sophie Monk.

The Triple M drive show, ‘Merrick and Australia’ featured Watts with a rotating cast of co-hosts, and was revamped in December last year, transforming into local Sydney drive show ‘Merrickville.’

At the time of Watts’ departure announcement, Mike Fitzpatrick, head of content at Triple M said he was “disappointed” but said Watts had been an “integral and much-loved part” of the team.

Today, Fitzpatrick added: “It’s so cool to have these two exceptional performers on Triple M Drive.

“The stations where we already have local drive shows will now be followed each day by Mick and Jane, giving the Triple M Network a truly national drive footprint,” he said.

A new co-host for Triple M’s Hot Breakfast is yet to be announced.

In the latest Melbourne survey, Molloy’s breakfast show fell to second place, maintaining its 8% share.

Triple M’s drive show Merrickville, gained 0.6 points to report a share of 5.7% in the Sydney market for survey three.

The news comes fourth months after Triple M launched a new campaign for its metro stations, celebrating Australian sportspeople, rockstars and comedians.

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