Merrick Watts is returning to Triple M. Source: Supplied
AND the radio shake-up continues.
It’s been announced that Merrick Watts will return to Triple M next year to host the national drive show from 4pm — 6pm (5pm — 7pm following the rush hour in Melbourne) with a yet to be named co-host.
Watts is no stranger to the Triple M drive shift, having hosted The Highway Patrol on the station for two years until he made the switch to 2Day FM to join the Sydney breakfast show at the start of 2014.
The 40-year-old comedian wasn’t giving much away about who his new co-host is when he spoke to news.com.au today, but he did categorically deny that he’ll reuniting on air with his former offsider Tim “Rosso” Ross.
Watts’ former Triple M drive show was The Highway Patrol: Rachel Corbett, Merrick Watts and Jules Schiller Source: Supplied
“The people who are in the know and everybody who’s aware of (who it is) has said, ‘Oh that makes total sense,’” said Watts about the co-host.
“The person I’ll be working with is going to have a different skill set to me. It’s not like Merrick plus one. This person is a very, very experienced broadcaster. They’re a very old friend of mine but I haven’t worked with them before.”
Watts said he couldn’t reveal who his radio partner is because they’re currently “employed in another capacity”.
“And people wouldn’t think that they’d be available,” he said.
The 2Day FM brekky show with Merrick Watts, Sophie Monk and Jules Lund has been a ratings disaster. Source: Supplied
The move to Triple M drive means that Watts will be taking on his mate Jules Lund, who is set to host the drive show on the Today network until Hamish and Andy take over in July.
“I can tell you right now, it is going to be a bloodbath,” joked Watts.
“I’ve already told Jules that as soon as I walk out of 2Day FM, it is on! I am just going to go for the throat.”
It’s likely that Watts will also be up against Dave Hughes and Kate Langbroek, who are all but confirmed to return to radio with a national drive show on rival network ARN.
But Watts isn’t worried.
Hamish and Andy will return to drive in July 2015. Source: Getty Images
It’s rumoured Hughesy and Kate will leave Nova for ARN. Source: Supplied
“Triple M kind of sits in a different playground to those guys,” he said.
“(Hamish and Andy, Hughesy and Kate) They’ve all got the same music format and they’re going for a similar audience, whereas Triple M knows what it is. It’s a male skewed audience, it’s a slightly older audience and it’s about blokes who are into sport, comedy and rock music.”
So who is Merrick’s co-host? Here are our top picks:
— Paul Murray
— Lehmo
— Wil Anderson
— Pete Helliar
— Mick Molloy
— Ed Kavalee
And if you’re a bit confused about the recent radio shake-up, here it is in a nutshell:
2Day FM breakfast in Sydney: Currently hosted by Jules Lund, Sophie Monk and Merrick Watts. Will be replaced next year by Dan Debuf and Maz Compton.
Triple M national drive show: Currently hosted by Matt Tilley and Joe Hildebrand. Will be replaced next year by Merrick Watts and a yet to be named co-host.
Today network national drive show: Currently hosted by Dan Debuf and Maz Compton. Will be replaced next year by Jules Lund until July when Hamish and Andy will take over.
Kiis FM national drive show: Currently hosted by Rosso (in Sydney and Melbourne). Likely to be replaced by Hughesy and Kate next year.
