Radio station ZM has revealed the new hosts of its afternoon Drive show will be PJ Harding and Jase Hawkins.
The pair will replace current hosts Paul Flynn and Jay Reeve, who last week announced they will move on from the station at the end of the year.
Chief Content Officer for NZME Radio, Gemma Fordham says Hawkins and Harding are a natural fit.
"The most important aspect of any radio team is synergy. This cannot be manufactured and the chemistry these two have, from the moment they first met, is astounding and something I've only come across a few times in my career. We knew immediately we were on to something special."
Harding is currently on-air as ZM's daytime host, while Hawkins will head to New Zealand next year from his native Australia, where he has worked on some of the country's top rating programmes, including the Kyle and Jackie O Show.
The move comes as ZM continues to reposition itself in the radio market, targeting a key demographic of 18-39.
Fordham says Harding has been rising up the ranks at ZM for some time now.
"PJ has a very easy relaxed style and has no concerns having a laugh at herself, which will be a good trait given Jase's love of pranks and having a laugh. PJ has been developed through the ZM family and we already know the audience loves her."
Harding caught up with Hawkins in Brisbane recently while on holiday last month.
"When I met Jase I couldn't believe how ridiculously good looking the man was, the sexual spark was hard to ignore and when I was offered a ridiculously low wage to be in his presence each afternoon I couldn’t say no. For the record this quote was not written by Jase. In all seriousness I’m so excited to be working with Jase and can’t wait to get started in January."
A shuffle of weekday radio hosts and time slots is also due take in January, with breakfast shows on all NZME music brands running an extra hour, until 10am. A move that will match rival MediaWorks Radio time slots.
Flynn will join Stacey Morrison hosting The Hits drive show, after the current co-host, Justin Brown, resigned and will take up a post at a creative agency.
Reeve will take up a new post at Radio Hauraki, hosting his own show from 5-6am each morning. It will be the frontrunner to Hauraki Breakfast, hosted by Matt Heath, Jeremy Wells and Laura McGoldrick. Reeve will also regularly contribute on the station.
The changes will take effect from January 12 next year.
NEW NZME WEEKDAY RADIO LINEUPS
ZM
6am-10am - Fletch, Vaughan and Megan
10am-3pm - Amante Falkenstein
3pm-7pm - Jase Hawkins and Polly 'PJ' Harding
7pm-12am - Guy and Georgia
The Hits
6am-9am - Polly and Grant (Network), Callum and P (Dunedin), James and Rachel (Invercargill), Martin and Sarah (Hawke’s Bay), Adam and Eryn (Taranaki)
9am-3pm - The Hits talented local announcers across the country
3pm-7pm - Stacey Morrison and Paul 'Flynny' Flynn
7pm-12am - Jason 'JT' Tikao
Radio Hauraki
5am-6am - Early Edition with Jay Reeve
6am-10am - Hauraki Breakfast with Matt Heath, Jeremy Wells and Laura McGoldrick
10am-3pm - Angelina Boyd
3pm-6pm - Mikey Havoc
6pm-7pm - Bhuja with Leigh Hart and Jason Hoyte
7pm-12am - Alex Behan
Flava
6am-10am - The Full Phat Breakfast with Pete Marsden, Tarsh Ieremia and Dave Fane
10am-3pm - Johnson Reala
3pm-7pm - Hayden Hare
7pm-12am - Daz
Coast
6am-10am - Brian Kelly
10am-3pm - Lorna Subritzky
3pm-7pm - Murray Lindsay
7pm-12am - Rick Morin
Mix 98.2 Auckland
8am-12pm - Mel Homer
Source: Press Release - NZME Radio and The New Zealand Herald
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