Bad news for fans of Red Symons
ABC Radio Melbourne broadcaster Red Symons, 68, has announced during this morning’s show that he is leaving after 15 years
“This will be my last year doing this program on the ABC,” he said, with a tone that suggested it was not his decision to leave.
“Why am I going? They haven’t said and I haven’t asked. Other things have been offered here but I think it’s better to make a clean break,” he continued.
“I shall miss [producers] Katrina Palmer and Ross Kavanagh, I can pretend that I’m doing this alone but I am not. They make me more interesting than I really am.
“And I shall miss you, dear listener. Thank you.”
Symons’ final show will be next Friday December 8.
ABC Radio has not announced a 2018 replacement for the broadcasting veteran.
Symons departure caps off a dramatic year for the Skyhooks guitarist and Hey Hey It’s Saturday favourite.
He suffered a ‘“significant injury to his brain” following a fall in July.
He also came under fire earlier this year for a strange podcast episode where he asked his guests a series of offensive questions about her race. Among other things he asked ABC journalist and producer Beverley Wang “Are you yellow?” and defended the 2009 Hey, Hey It’s Saturday controversy in which a group of Red Faces contestants performed as the Jackson Five in blackface make-up and afro wigs. The podcast was later deleted from the ABC website.