Sam McClure to join Gerard Healy on Sportsday in 2020
Sports journalist Sam McClure will join Gerard Healy as a co-host in 2020 on Sportsday.
The announcement:
SAM MCCLURE TO JOIN GERARD HEALY AS SPORTSDAY CO-HOST IN 2020
Award-winning sports journalist Sam McClure is returning ‘home’ to Sportsday where his radio journey began – joining radio great Gerard Healy as co-host of the top-rating show from the start of February.
McClure, known as one of the industry’s best news-breakers, will join Brownlow medallist Healy and big-name regular guests including Matthew Richardson, Matthew Lloyd, Leigh Matthews and Caroline Wilson to dissect all things sport every Monday – Thursday from 6-8pm.
The Crocmedia-produced show is syndicated across 3AW and regional radio stations in Victoria and Tasmania and in the 2019 GfK Survey 8, finished the year as the number one show with men, with an 8.7% share.
McClure said he was thrilled to take the chair alongside Healy on the long-running drive-time show.
“Sportsday is a show that I grew up with in my home and in my car.
“I was lucky enough to work on it during my time at 3AW and I now feel honoured to sit next to a legendary figure in Gerard Healy.
“I cannot wait to get started,” McClure said.
Healy – a much-loved and respected sports radio presenter and former champion of both the Melbourne and Sydney Football Clubs, welcomed McClure’s return.
“I’m excited to welcome “Scoop” back to the show – although he has big shoes to fill in replacing Dwayne Russell – my co-host for the past 16 years – I know Sam’s cutting-edge sports journalism will bring a fresh approach to Sportsday and I couldn’t be more excited,” Healy said.
Former co-host Dwayne Russell has moved to 1116 SEN to take up hosting duties of new show Dwayne’s World from 12-3pm on 1116 SEN and SEN SA.
SEN’s rising commentary star Jack Heverin will replace McClure as host of SEN’s Time On 6-7pm weekdays and resume hosting The Sporting Capital which follows it.
Craig Hutchison, CEO of Crocmedia, said it was a great next step for McClure’s career and would be welcomed by the 19 stations that take the program.
“The combination of Gerard’s immense experience and sporting nous, combined with Sam’s fresh perspective and ‘no-holes-barred’ journalistic approach was an irresistible combination,” Hutchison said.
“The show is a Victorian and Tasmania institution. The co-hosting chair of Sportsday is one of the most cherished in all of sport and football media.
“And Sam is the perfect person to help continue its agenda-setting news-breaking history.”
Hutchison also congratulated Heverin on signing a contract extension with SEN that also includes a raft of broadcasting roles across many sports.
McClure’s impressive resume includes being a contributor to the SEN Breakfast show in 2017, host of SEN Time On 2018-2019, Channel 9’s The Oval Office 2019, Channel 7’s Footy Central AFL coverage and Talking Footy program, as well as a journalist for The Age newspaper.
He was also the winner of the AFL Media Association Most Outstanding News Reporter – Print, Radio, TV, Online in 2018.
Sportsday began in 1994 with Healy and legendary cricketer – the late David Hookes as co-hosts. McClure will become the third only co-host in the show’s 26 year history.
Sportsday has become essential listening for sports fans across Victoria and Tasmania, while Crocmedia-produced interstate equivalents Sportsday SA hosted by Malcolm Blight and David Wildy; Sportsday WA with Karl Langdon and Paul Hasleby and Sportday NSW and Queensland hosted by Scott Sattler and Gary Belcher deliver local sports fans a distinctly parochial sports fix.
Source: Crocmedia media release
McClure becomes the fourth co-host. Hookes, Healy and Russell were the first three.
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