Change is in the wind for a Manawatū radio station and its popular drive time announcer.
MORE FM Manawatū drive time announcer Justin Evans announced on Monday that after six years presenting his multiple award winning afternoon radio show, that he would be moving on from his long time post.
Fans of the 37-year-old broadcaster shouldn't fear as he's not hanging up his headphones completely, just putting them on earlier during the daytime 10am-3pm shift on the radio station from next January.
For the last four years, Evans or his 3-7pm show has either won or been nominated as a finalist at the New Zealand Radio Awards. The awards celebrate the very best in New Zealand radio broadcasting, including Evans' excellence in the industry and lively persona on the airwaves.
The often controversial and popular broadcaster expressed a message of thanks on his Facebook page, to his listeners.
"A big thanks to everybody who has rung me, text me, won prizes, or maybe you just engaged with [my] Facebook page."
"A new team will be hosting the show from January next year and I will be moving to the earlier shift of 10am-3pm, chatting to you across the workday."
"If you listen to the drive show I hope I can get your ears on me again in 2015 from 10am-3pm!," posted Evans.
Evans is looking forward to his extra hour on the airwaves and getting home earlier at the end of the day.
"I am excited about moving to the timeslot of 10am-3pm, as this gives me an extra hour on air and allows me to get home earlier at night," he said.
Programme Director Darren Wallace didn't feel the change was newsworthy and references a time at the end of May, when Evans compared his Morrocan lamb lunch to cat vomit in a on-air joke. The joke included calling Wallace's wife live on-air.
"[The change] may have been portrayed as a big deal by Justin on air this past Monday, but it really is of no more interest to Manawatū than what my wife made me for lunch yesterday," said Wallace.
The lunch and cat vomit joke was hugely popular with Evans' audience, who came out in droves to share their response to the time shift on his Facebook page.
Zara Dickson was sad that Evans won't be driving her home but appreciative that he will be on the radio during the day.
Kate MacGregor felt "totally sad" with the hype that Evans was leaving, but pleased when she found out that he'll just be moving to the daytime shift.
Sarah Laurence and Hannah Winter were eager to find out who will be replacing Evans in the drive time shift, with Toby Woon going as far as suggesting he host the vacant show.
Evans promises that his jokes will remain integral to his show and is planning a new regular feature to the daytime show.
"I am planning a regular show feature called 'Pick on Penelope', which will see me pranking Grumpy Darren [Wallace]'s wife Penelope on a regular basis," said Evans.
A number of fans were happy with being able to listen to a local show with Evans during working hours, but some were disappointed with the new time.
Cheryl Mackie said Evans was "part of the furniture" at MORE FM.
"Ya had me [worried] for a minute thinking you were leaving for good sorry but [you] are part of the furniture now," said Mackie.
Evans was first heard on MORE FM Manawatū's predecessor - the iconic 2XS FM - from 2000-2003. He has hosted MORE FM Manawatū's drive show from 2009 and co-hosted the show alongside Kendall Forbes in 2010 and 2011.
Since 2012, he has flown solo behind the microphone.
Evans' last drive time show airs today from 3-7pm.
Be the first to comment