Paul & Lise return to radio on 96FM Breakfast: “More fun, more Perth”

Paul Hogan and Lisa Fernandez returned to radio today on Australian Radio Network’s 96FM Perth, replacing Carmen Braidwood and Brad “Fitzi” Fitzgerald.

Evidently free of any first day jitters, they didn’t worry about traditional formalities of introducing the show, instead using their first break to joke about why Paul had even decided to work with a five-week-old baby.

The pair have proven chemistry and know their audience well, having previously hosted breakfast on Hit92.9 Perth, and return with the tagline “more fun, more Perth”.

It’s a strong move from 96FM to bring back the experienced team, with Paul and Lise settling into the show smoothly from the first break, clearly having lost none of their spark.

In the lead up to the show, Lise had promised a different approach to the role, telling Perth Now she spoke about her personal life too often on their previous stint on Hit.

Paul and Lise delivered on the promise, spending the lion’s share of the show covering sport, with their first round of listeners calling up to passionately debate the place of ex-West Coast Eagles footballer Ben Cousins in the Perth media cycle.

Their first celebrity guest was basketball player and NBL American import JP Tokoto, who provided an insightful interview into the team culture of the Perth Wildcats, before Paul and Lise gave away free Wildcats tickets.

Their first tactic of the year was a $500 cash price competition, given away to a listener just no reason at all, because why not?

There was more entertaining local content to come, care of a segment called “civil war” where they pitted two listeners – one from Perth’s North against one from the South – in a competition testing local general knowledge.

Lise returns to radio after working as a presenter with Channel 9 for the past couple of years (where she will now continue in a scaled-back role), during which time Paul has co-hosted Hit100.9 breakfast in Hobart.