Acid-tongued Kyle Sandilands has dubbed radio rival David “Hughesy” Hughes’ 2Day FM morning show as “sad”.
But industry insiders exclusively tell Woman’s Day the shock jock and his co-host Jackie O may end up crying into their cornflakes if Hughesy is the one who can finally knock Kyle and Jackie O off the top spot in the cutthroat Sydney FM breakfast market.
“2Day FM aren’t kidding around with their long-term plan for Hughesy to be the man who they’ve put all their faith in to eventually roll King Kyle from pole position,” a source exclusively tells Woman’s Day.
“There have been 13 hosts over a seven-year period, so this has to work, otherwise they’ve virtually run out of options. They figure things can’t get any worse after sitting on the bottom of the Sydney radio market since Kyle and Jackie pulled the pin back in 2014 and defected to KIIS.”
Hughesy, 50, admits it’s a huge ask, but insists, “I love radio. And I really want to live in Sydney. When the network has said, ‘We’ve got long-term faith in you,’ you’re crazy not to do it.”
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While Kyle was quick to slam the competition, calling it a “mess” and sniping, “I know it’s going to be a failure”, sources say he may be secretly running scared.
Number one for now, but that could change very soon…
(Instagram)“They’ve got history and Kyle has always seen Hughesy as a real threat because he’s so much funnier and smarter than Kyle – and Kyle knows it!” the insider says.
“All that bravado Kyle carries on with could actually backfire on him. Behind the scenes he seems very nervous.”
But the insider agrees radio bosses know it won’t happen overnight.
“The decision-makers over at 2Day are prepared and happy to wait. Eventually Dave will crack the market and the tables will without any doubt turn in favour of Hughesy,” says the source.
“He’s a dad, he’s funny and he knows how to be edgy enough without being insulting, which is Kyle’s trademark.”
Dave vs Kyle – who will rule the breakfast airwaves?
(Instagram)Indeed, Southern Cross Austereo CEO Grant Blackley recently told a Sydney newspaper he’s prepared to give the new line-up at his station “years” to knock Kyle and Jackie O off their perch.
The radio insider adds, “The usual suspects – Kyle and Jackie, Jonesy and Amanda, Fitzy and Wippa – they’re all a bit stale. There’s plenty of room and opportunity for a new kid on the block to take over the breakfast radio reins. It’s just going to take some time.”
And while 49-year-old Kyle – who once threatened to “punch” Dave in the throat – continues to slam his rivals publicly every chance he gets, insiders say he doesn’t realise he’s playing right into Hughesy’s hands!
The new lineup could be the one to topple the radio faves
(Instagram)“The trio are on training wheels for now, but there’s a lot of investment behind the scenes to make this work,” a source says about Dave and his co-hosts Erin Molan and Ed Kavalee.
“The more Dave can do to drive up the ratings, the nastier and more toxic Kyle’s responses will become. Which is exactly what they want at 2Day – it means he’s taking the bait.”
Meanwhile, radio bosses are just waiting for everyone to make the big switch…
“Kyle thinks because Dave is so much more Melbourne audience-suited, Sydney audiences won’t relate to him – but Dave can read a room better than anyone,” says the insider.
