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Head of the Hit Network Gemma Fordham departs after a string of high profile failed breakfast shows

Head of the Hit Network Gemma Fordham departs after a string of high profile failed breakfast shows 2

Gemma Fordham, head of content at Southern Cross Austereo’s Hit Network, has departed her role after six years at the high profile radio network.

Daily Mail Australia understands staff were informed of her departure on Monday, with the move coming after a leadership restructure at Austereo. 

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Chief Content Officer Dave Cameron for Austereo confirmed: ‘In 2022 SCA will take a highly localised programming approach which will deliver increased autonomy and responsibility to its Metro Content Directors on the ground in each market to program their stations for success. 

Exit: Gemma Fordham (pictured), head of content at Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network, has departed her role after six years at the high profile radio network. Daily Mail Australia understands staff were informed of her departure on Monday, with the move coming after a leadership restructure at Austereo

Exit: Gemma Fordham (pictured), head of content at Southern Cross Austereo’s Hit Network, has departed her role after six years at the high profile radio network. Daily Mail Australia understands staff were informed of her departure on Monday, with the move coming after a leadership restructure at Austereo

‘To lead this approach, SCA will appoint a brand agnostic Head of Metro Content early in the new year, which aligns to its regional structural change earlier this year that saw Blair Woodcock appointed as SCA’s Head of Content – Regional. The new Metro role will sit across both networks and work closely with local Content Directors.

‘This change means that SCA will no longer have separate, brand-aligned Heads of Network moving forward, thereby impacting both the Head of Hit Network (Gemma Fordham) and Head of Triple M Network (Mike Fitzpatrick) roles.’

He continued: ‘Gemma Fordham has made the decision to leave SCA to enjoy an extended break with her family… SCA wishes Gemma all the best and thanks her for the significant contribution to Hit content over many years.’ 

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Chief Content Officer Dave Cameron for Austereo confirmed: 'Gemma Fordham has made the decision to leave SCA to enjoy an extended break with her family. SCA wishes Gemma all the best and thanks her for the significant contribution to Hit content over many years'

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Chief Content Officer Dave Cameron for Austereo confirmed: ‘Gemma Fordham has made the decision to leave SCA to enjoy an extended break with her family. SCA wishes Gemma all the best and thanks her for the significant contribution to Hit content over many years’

The exit comes after a string of failed breakfast programs at the network,  starring huge names like Sam Frost, Grant Denyer, Rove McManus and Em Rusciano. 

Comedian McManus and Home and Away actress Frost had their breakfast radio program was axed in 2017, after they were moved to an evening time slot following dismal ratings.

In June 2017, the Rove and Sam show was canned altogether and The Bachelorette star’s contract also ended with Southern Cross Austereo. 

Rove and Sam’s 7-8 pm show on the Hit Network will finish up today, June 30,’ a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia at the time.

Axed: Comedian McManus (left) and Home and Away actress Frost (right) had their breakfast radio program was axed in 2017, after they were moved to an evening time slot

Axed: Comedian McManus (left) and Home and Away actress Frost (right) had their breakfast radio program was axed in 2017, after they were moved to an evening time slot 

‘Rove’s remaining within the SCA family and working on a new project with another part of our business. Sam’s contract has now ended and we wish her well with her coming up TV work.’  

The duo were replaced by comedians Em Rusciano and Harley Breen’s The Em Rusciano Show with Harley Breen.

But by November 2017 comedian Breen announced his resignation from Hit’s 2DayFM show. 

The news came after the breakfast show continuously struggled in the ratings. 

Out: In June 2017, the Rove and Sam show was canned altogether and The Bachelorette star's contract also ended with Southern Cross Austereo

Out: In June 2017, the Rove and Sam show was canned altogether and The Bachelorette star’s contract also ended with Southern Cross Austereo 

‘It’s by no means an easy decision, but it’s the right one,’ Harley said during his on air announcement. 

He was subsequently replaced by TV personalities Ed Kavalee and Grant Denyer and the show was rebranded Em, Grant and Ed by the Hit Network.  

Further trouble came when Rusciano resigned from 2Day FM in early September 2018, shortly after claims staff refused to work with her because she was ‘toxic.’ 

‘Casual bombshell alert. This Friday will be my last day on air for 2Day FM breakfast, and I want to make it crystal clear that this is entirely my decision and not one I made lightly,’ she said on air at the time.

Incoming: The duo were replaced by comedians Em Rusciano (right) and Harley Breen's (left) The Em Rusciano Show with Harley Breen

Incoming: The duo were replaced by comedians Em Rusciano (right) and Harley Breen’s (left) The Em Rusciano Show with Harley Breen

Quit: But by November 2017 Breen announced his resignation. The news came after the breakfast show continuously struggled in the ratings

Quit: But by November 2017 Breen announced his resignation. The news came after the breakfast show continuously struggled in the ratings

‘The truth is when I found out I was pregnant, I made my mind up on the spot that this year would be my last year of breakfast radio.’

She added: ‘I had intended to work through until December, but as my pregnancy is progressing I’m finding it increasingly harder to fulfill the requirements of my job. So after talking it through with my family, and my boss Gemma [Fordham, Hit Network’s Head of Content], it was decided that I should finish up.’     

Rusciano was publicly accused of creating a ‘toxic’ workplace at the Hit Network.

‘She makes it a toxic work environment,’ a former staff member told News.com.au.

Moves: He was subsequently replaced by TV personalities Ed Kavalee (far left) and Grant Denyer (right) and the show was rebranded Em, Grant and Ed by the Hit Network

Moves: He was subsequently replaced by TV personalities Ed Kavalee (far left) and Grant Denyer (right) and the show was rebranded Em, Grant and Ed by the Hit Network

‘In all honesty, I actually feel really sad for her. She seems really insecure. She portrays this really confident, ‘I think I’m the greatest!’ image but I think it stems from a really deep-seeded insecurity, which is really sad.’

‘She just doesn’t know how to interact with people. She won’t compromise with anybody. She always has to be right.’

Another ex-employee told The Daily Telegraph there ‘had been casualties at the hands of Em Rusciano’ at 2Day FM.

Claims: Further trouble came when Rusciano resigned from 2Day FM in early September 2018, shortly after claims staff refused to work with her because she was 'toxic'

Claims: Further trouble came when Rusciano resigned from 2Day FM in early September 2018, shortly after claims staff refused to work with her because she was ‘toxic’ 

‘Things are at breaking point, people just cannot work with her energy,’ they said.

‘The audio producer is now working on another show, the publicist is refusing to work with her and one of the producers has told the company that they are looking for other work. All of that on top of the previous host [Harley Breen] leaving.’

In August 2019, the bad news kept coming as Grant Denyer’s 2Day FM Breakfast show with co-stars Ed Kavalee and Ash London was cancelled.    

‘I have really enjoyed it. It’s nice to join an elite group of people who’ve been sacked from radio’ Denyer said in an Instagram post at the time. 

More bad news: In August 2019, the bad news kept coming as Grant Denyer's 2Day FM Breakfast show with co-stars Ed Kavalee and Ash London (far left) was cancelled. The Hit Network announced the news after the show suffered 18 months of dismal ratings

More bad news: In August 2019, the bad news kept coming as Grant Denyer’s 2Day FM Breakfast show with co-stars Ed Kavalee and Ash London (far left) was cancelled. The Hit Network announced the news after the show suffered 18 months of dismal ratings

He added: ‘Tried my hardest, did my best and overshared more than I should have.’

The Hit Network announced the news after the show suffered 18 months of dismal ratings. 

The axing marked the sixth failed attempt by 2Day FM to launch a successful breakfast show following Kyle and Jackie O’s departure in 2014. 

In a statement at the time, Hit Network boss Gemma Fordham said Sydney listeners can expect an ‘exciting and upbeat breakfast alternative’. 

'I have really enjoyed it. It's nice to join an elite group of people who've been sacked from radio' Denyer said in an Instagram post at the time

‘I have really enjoyed it. It’s nice to join an elite group of people who’ve been sacked from radio’ Denyer said in an Instagram post at the time 

She added: ‘And a huge thank you must go to our breakfast show team, Grant, Ed & Ash, for the past 18 months. 

‘They are absolute professionals, have been a true delight to work with and have contributed to a culture of fun, community and inclusiveness we are proud of at 2Day.’  

It was announced in late 2020 that Dave Hughes, Ed Kavalee and Erin Molan would take the breakfast slot with The Morning Crew. 

But by August 2021, the show had tumbled to an all-new low, slipping down 0.9 points to a 2.4 per cent market share. 

It was a dramatic decline for the trio who began broadcasting together in January. 

Loss: The axing marked the sixth failed attempt by 2Day FM to launch a successful breakfast show following Kyle and Jackie O's departure in 2014. Pictured: Hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson

Loss: The axing marked the sixth failed attempt by 2Day FM to launch a successful breakfast show following Kyle and Jackie O’s departure in 2014. Pictured: Hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson  

Two years prior, Grant Denyer, Ed Kavalee and Ash London also recorded the same low numbers, according Radio Today. 

However The Morning Crew appears to be staying on the air for now, with comedian Hughes revealing just last week that he will be moving to Sydney next year to host the show.

The 51-year-old, who has primarily been hosting the prgram with Ed Kavalee in Melbourne, told The Daily Telegraph’s Confidential that he’s ‘buying a property in Sydney in the next month or so’.   

Earlier this year, Gemma Fordham waxed lyrical about her deep love for her job at Austereo.  

More issues: It was announced in late 2020 that Dave Hughes (centre), Ed Kavalee (left) and Erin Molan (right) would take the breakfast slot with The Morning Crew. But by August 2021, the show's ratings had tumbled to an all-new low

More issues: It was announced in late 2020 that Dave Hughes (centre), Ed Kavalee (left) and Erin Molan (right) would take the breakfast slot with The Morning Crew. But by August 2021, the show’s ratings had tumbled to an all-new low

‘I love that every day is different, of course, we all get that in radio. I guess I love the creative freedom,’ she told Radio Today.  

‘There’s so many days where I laugh to the point where I have tears streaming down my face. And that could be from off-air teams or on-air teams. What a gift that is.’ 

She added: ‘I’ve always said this, that I never take it for granted. I kid you not, when I get out of the lift every day at 2Day, I still feel so excited and so lucky, like I did when I was a teenage girl and I first started at 2Day. It still blows my mind when I walk in the office every day.’

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Southern Cross Austereo for further comment. 

Host: However The Morning Crew appears to be staying on the air for now, with comedian Hughes revealing just last week that he will be moving to Sydney next year to host the show

Host: However The Morning Crew appears to be staying on the air for now, with comedian Hughes revealing just last week that he will be moving to Sydney next year to host the show

 

 

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