A prominent radio duo, abruptly dropped from their drive-time slot last year, have been prevented from launching their new programme immediately due to a contractual dispute with their former network.
The Sudden Exit and Rival Move
Ben Harvey, Liam Stapleton, and producer Belle Jackson were informed in September that their contracts with Nova for the 'Late Drive' show would not be renewed. While their final broadcast was initially scheduled for December 12, staff were told in October that the trio had left the station with immediate effect.
This premature departure coincided with strong rumours of a move to a competing broadcaster, which were soon confirmed. In October, the Australian Radio Network (ARN) announced that Ben and Liam would take over the breakfast show on KIIS FM Adelaide, the station rebranded from Mix 102.3.
Non-Compete Clause Enforced, Debut Postponed
However, the pair's planned debut on KIIS has now hit a significant hurdle. Reports indicate that Nova is invoking a 'non-compete' clause within the presenters' former contracts. This legal stipulation is designed to prevent employees from immediately joining a direct competitor.
While most breakfast teams returned to the airwaves in January, Ben and Liam will remain off-air until later in the year. A spokesperson for ARN addressed the situation, stating, "We always knew Ben and Liam’s official start date was April 1 and we can’t wait for them to join the all-new KIIS102.3, which launches on January 19."
Insiders suggest that fill-in host Bec Morse, who covered the summer holiday period, is the likely candidate to temporarily occupy the breakfast slot until April.
Farewells and Career Trajectory
When Nova announced the team's departure, programmer Brendan Taylor praised them in an internal email, noting they were "a hugely talented team who have delivered excellent results for Nova and developed a unique connection to their audience."
The duo, who began their careers on Adelaide's community station Fresh 92.7, rose to national prominence as Triple J's breakfast hosts from 2016. They returned to Adelaide in 2020 for Nova 91.9's breakfast show before a brief move to Melbourne in early 2023. Their Nova drive slot was ultimately taken over by Lauren Phillips and Jase Hawkins at the start of 2024.
Industry publication Media Week revealed the trio only learned they were losing their roles "shortly before" their successors conducted a secret photoshoot in the Nova studio, highlighting the often abrupt nature of radio industry changes.
