James Valentine returns to Afternoons and Craig Reucassel takes the reins on Breakfast at ABC Radio Sydney – Comedian and broadcaster Craig Reucassel will host ABC Radio Sydney Breakfast in 2024, paving the way for James Valentine to return to his beloved afternoon audience.
Reucassel makes the jump to Breakfast radio after a bumper year hosting a third series of the highly successful ABC TV program War on Waste. He has also been heard on ABC Radio Sydney recently filling in for Richard Glover on Drive.
Craig said he was excited to wake up with the Sydney Breakfast audience.
“I’m honoured to be joining ABC Radio Sydney as the station celebrates its centenary. I’ve got some big shoes to fill, following in the footsteps of some incredible broadcasters including James.”
“I’m looking forward to getting to know the audience over Breakfast and my morning coffee (from a reusable coffee cup of course). The bit about being excited to wake up at 3am was a lie though.”
ABC Radio Sydney Afternoon audiences will also be delighted to welcome James Valentine back to his Afternoon slot after 2 years at the Breakfast helm.
James said the return to Afternoons felt like coming home.
“I’m delighted to be returning to my afternoon timeslot and reuniting with my afternoon listeners. It’s been an incredible privilege leading Breakfast these past two years and I wish Craig all the best with the early starts.”
Manager of ABC Radio Sydney, Steve Ahern said:
“The audience responded very well to Craig’s recent stint filling in for Richard Glover. We know they will enjoy spending time with him at breakfast next year. Craig is one of the ABC’s most versatile talents, able to ask the hard questions and still have a laugh about the quirky and the unusual things going on around the city.”
“Our afternoon audience will enjoy the return of James Valentine to the timeslot. They have missed his laconic sense of humour in the afternoon hours. The audience for his style of afternoon radio is strong, in his last full survey two years ago* James scored a 10% audience share in that timeslot.”
Evenings at ABC Radio Sydney will also sound different in 2024 with the announcement that current host Indira Naidoo has been confirmed for the 2024 season of ABC TV’s Compass and will not return to the Evening program next year. Indira’s Compass role will include some international travel and longer format interviews. She will also be working on a new book that will involve some overseas travel. Indira will be replaced by Renee Krosch who is known to the audience as one of the station’s regular relief presenters.
Steve Ahern said
“Our audience has loved spending time with Indira every evening during 2023. I’m grateful to Indira for her time with ABC Radio Sydney and excited to see what she will be covering on Compass in what will be a busy year for her in 2024.”
“I’d also like to welcome Renee to Evenings. Renee has been a valued member of the ABC Radio Sydney team for some time and I have no doubt our audience is going to enjoy spending time with her.”
Full details of ABC Radio Sydney’s 2024 full lineup are:
Weekdays
Breakfast – Craig Reucassel
AM – Sabra Lane
Mornings – Sarah Macdonald
The World Today – Sally Sara
Afternoons – James Valentine
Drive – Richard Glover
PM – David Lipson
Evenings – Renee Krosch (Fridays Sirine Demachkie)
Nightlife – Philip Clarke (Fridays Suzanne Hill)
Overnights – Michael Pavlich (Fridays Rod Quinn)
Saturday
Breakfast – Simon Marnie
Afternoon – Grandstand
Evening – Robbie Buck, Songs & Stories
Nightlife – Suzanne Hill
Overnight – Rod Quinn
Sunday
Australia All Over – Ian Macnamara
Morning – Simon Marnie
Afternoon – Grandstand
Evening – Christine Anu
Speaking Out – Larissa Behrendt
Nightlife – Suzanne Hill
Overnight – Rod Quinn
About Craig Reucassel
Craig Reucassel is an Australian writer, comedian and broadcaster who is best known for his work with The Chaser and for going through your bins on The War on Waste.
Craig and a group of friends founded The Chaser newspaper, which led to a number of ABC TV Chaser programs including The Election Chaser, CNNNN, The Chaser’s War on Everything, The Hamster Wheel, and the satirical consumer affairs show The Checkout. Craig also hosted the two influential series of The War on Waste on ABC TV.
Craig was born in South Africa but moved to Australia at a young age. He attended the University of Sydney, and graduated with honours in Bachelor of Economics (Social Science) and Bachelor of Laws.
As well as his TV work, Craig has worked on triple j with fellow Chaser Chris Taylor and commercial radio. His CV extends to acting with performances in David Williamson’s Jack of Hearts and Tim Firth’s Neville’s Island at The Ensemble.
About James Valentine
James is a long term presenter on ABC Radio Sydney and is also a musician with his own jazz quartet. He plays regularly around Sydney and at music festivals around the country and, in 2009, released the album Debut.
A familiar face on Australian television, James was the movie reviewer for many years on Showtime, a reporter and commentator on shows such as Sunrise, It Takes Two, Midday, Good Morning Australia and TVTV.
James has also featured as the narrator of Lifestyle Channel’s Come Dine With Me Australia as well as the writer of a regular columns for publications including The Australian newspaper.
He began his media career hosting the cartoons for ABCTV in the mid-1980s on a program called The Afternoon Show.
Previously, James was a full time saxophonist recording and touring with Jo Camilleri, Kate Ceberano, Wendy Matthews and most notably The Models, a band that had two number one hits and toured the US and Europe.
* GfK Survey 7, 2021, Afternoon shift timeslot
Audio of James Valentine announcing the changes on ABC Radio Sydney breakfast at ABC listen
Media Release – ABC
James Valentine returns to Afternoons and Craig Reucassel takes the reins on Breakfast at ABC Radio Sydney
TV Central ABC content HERE
