Australian radio hosts Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw have been left “devastated” after their long-running KIIS FM program was axed as part of a major lineup shake-up.
The pair have hosted The Will & Woody Show since 2019 and will continue presenting the afternoon drive program until the end of the year.
However, they confirmed they will not return to the network in 2027, describing the decision as a huge blow.
“We are devastated we won’t be continuing to do what we truly love next year and will sorely miss hearing the stories of everyone who contributed to the show,” they said in a joint statement.
“It was always the listeners who made the show, so we are deeply thankful to you all.
“We are also incredibly grateful to ARN for allowing us to live out our dream for the last eight years.
“Guess we’ll now have to finally figure out how to make LinkedIn profiles.”
McMahon and Whitelaw first worked together on a breakfast radio show in Perth before moving to Melbourne in 2018.
They set their sights on taking their show to a national audience and eventually established The Will & Woody Show.
The pair went on to top the ratings in Sydney and Adelaide, while KIIS FM said the duo had built a growing audience during the highly competitive drive-time slot.
However, KIIS FM’s parent company ARN is refreshing its radio lineup for 2027, with the duo among the presenters leaving the network.
Kerri Elstub, chief content officer at ARN, said McMahon and Whitelaw had made a “huge contribution” during their time with the company.
“We wish Will & Woody all the very best for the future and look forward to seeing what they do next,” she said.
“In the meantime, they still have plenty of great radio ahead of them before the end of the year, and we look forward to celebrating their contribution and giving them the send-off they deserve.”
The departure comes during a period of significant change across Australia’s commercial radio industry.
Earlier this year, The Kyle and Jackie O Show, was axed following a tense on-air fight between the two hosts, leaving a major gap in the breakfast schedule in Sydney and Melbourne.
There has since been speculation about who will eventually take over the breakfast slot.
The changes continued this week, with Nova FM presenter Jack Charles announcing live on air that he would leave the network on Friday.
“I turn 30 in a few months, and I think I’m just ready for a new challenge and to see what else is out there for me,” he said on Wednesday.
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