ABC Melbourne breakfast radio host Red Symons will not return to the program in 2018, announcing his exit this morning.
His departure finishes a 15 year long career with ABC Melbourne, starting out on the breakfast shift in 2002.
Symons took on his first breakfast shift at ABC Radio Melbourne in 2002
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“This will be my last year doing this program on the ABC,” Symons said on radio this morning.
“Why am I going? They haven’t said and I haven’t asked. Other things have been offered here but I think it’s better to make a clean break.
“I shall miss [producers] Katrina Palmer and Ross Kavanagh, I can pretend that I’m doing this alone but I am not. They make me more interesting than I really am. And I shall miss you, dear listener. Thank you.”
“I’ve spent five years in a band, 10 in television and 15 on the radio. Clearly whatever is next will keep me occupied for 20 years,” he added.
“I like to work, it gives life will and purpose. I have already agreed to some things, and passed on others — I shall continue.”
Listeners and colleagues took to Twitter to express their sadness.
Earlier this year, Symons was forced to apologise for his ‘racist’ podcast comments, after he defended the Hey, Hey It’s Saturday blackface incident and proposed launching a ‘What’s the deal with Asians?’ segment.