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ABC Radio Adelaide up-ends its morning schedule

ABC Radio Adelaide is shaking up its roster in the wake of Matthew Abraham’s retirement, with breakfast presenter David Bevan swapping shifts with mornings announcer Ali Clarke.

Jul 27, 2017, updated Jul 27, 2017
David Bevan and Ali Clarke will swap shifts on ABC Radio Adelaide. Supplied image

David Bevan and Ali Clarke will swap shifts on ABC Radio Adelaide. Supplied image

Bevan, who has been hosting the breakfast shift solo since Abraham’s departure at the end of June, announced the changes on-air this morning.

He said next week will be his last hosting breakfast after six years in the shift – a move he described as a “relief”.

Clarke and Bevan will co-host from 8.30am to 9am – a news-breaking slot in the schedule established by Abraham and Bevan over their 15 years hosting either mornings or breakfast.

That won’t change, Bevan said today.

“Eighty-thirty to nine is not going to change in any way,” he said. “The job that I was given when I first teamed up with Philip (Satchell – former ABC presenter) nearly 20 years ago now – the boss said I want to make 8.30 to nine the front page of our station…

“That is still our front page and that is exactly what Ali and I will deliver.”

Bevan said he had always planned to take leave after Abraham retired, but that changed when he was called into a meeting by his boss – presumably ABC Radio Adelaide manager Graeme Bennett – who laid out the plan to swap with Clarke.

“I felt a great sense of relief,” he said. “And I thought – when I did think – what an elegant idea; what a great idea, what a good thing to do.”

He said he had told Abraham more than a year ago that “I think Ali Clarke is the future of this station”.

“Ali’s the genuine article – she’s interested in everything and she cares about everybody.”

In a statement, Bennett said “you can expect something new, but also something you’ll recognise – intelligent, entertaining, Adelaide-focussed radio”.

Clarke has experience in the high stakes breakfast shift, having been a co-presenter on Adelaide’s Triple M until 2013 when the rock-and-footy station opted for an all-male team.

The move shakes up the breakfast ratings battle in Adelaide, which has been won in 14 consecutive surveys by Abraham and Bevan.

Their nearest rivals are FIVEaa’s David Penberthy and Will Goodings.

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