Byron Cooke quits Fox FM Breakfast, replaced by Nick Cody

Former Publisher

Breakfast radio on Fox FM Melbourne is set for a shakeup next year.

Just after 8:30am today, Fifi, Fev & Byron announced on-air that anchor Byron Cooke plans to leave the show to spend more time on his podcast and with family.

Cooke has been with the show for five years and will finish tomorrow (November 27).

His replacement is comedian Nick Cody, who currently co-hosts Triple M Brisbane Breakfast.

“I’m so pumped to be joining Fifi and Fev in 2021,” he said in a statement.

“Fifi is an absolute legend and let’s be honest, there is only one bloke that can keep up with one of the best full forwards of all time and that is me – 1999’s Werribee Under 12’s 3rd best and fairest.

“It’s insane that they’ve let a kid from Hoppers Crossing join the breakfast show on the biggest radio station in the country. 2020 was a hectic year for Melburnians but we are on our way back to the life we love.

“I can’t wait to be hanging out with these champions every morning, while getting to chat with listeners in the best city in the world.”

In November 2013, Box announced that she was going to co-host Fifi & Dave with Dave Thornton on Fox FM in 2014, replacing Jo Stanley and Matt Tilley.

In 2016, Brendan Fevola joined the show and it was renamed Fifi, Dave & Fev.

In 2017, anchor Cooke was added to the title of the show and it was renamed Fifi, Dave, Fev & Byron. Thornton resigned in 2017 and the program was renamed Fifi, Fev & Byron.

Fox FM’s former content director Adrian Brine recently told the Fox Bosses podcast that the continual shakeups at Fox FM Breakfast during this period were a personal and professional challenge.

“The biggest learning I made was through the Breakfast show developments, of that struggle of the show changing so much and voices coming in and out, and Fev [Brendan Fevola] being in there and Fi [Fifi Box] being there and Dave [Thornton] being there. We never really had clarity on the roles of everybody as much as we tried,” he said.

“And I just remember one day I just went in, with the now infamous pie chart and I put it up on the screen…. I’m at the end of my tether going ‘Guys, I think this is the best thing for the show’. I put the pie chart up… ‘This is how I see the voices in the show working’… Oh my God. Lost the room. Lost them completely. I’m sure after that they were all talking going ‘Oh my God, can you believe he put up a pie chart?’ I won’t do that again. That was a definite learning of what not to do. You learn these things.”

And saying goodbye to Thornton was also painful, he said.

“That specifically was really challenging, and probably pushed my ability around talent management to the limits, because it was really hard for both of us. It was really hard for Dave. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to continue in that show, he wasn’t sure whether he was getting the value that he needed from the show. By that point I’d put him in the comedy box, either mistakenly or what I thought was best for the show, and he wanted more than that, and I couldn’t give him that, I think,” he said.

Brine recently resigned from his position as assistant head of the Hit Network

In Survey 7 this month, Fox FM had another subdued book, down 0.7 points to a 5.2% share.

The station celebrated its 40-year heritage in 2020, bringing back former talent and shows for a one-week period to reminisce and reflect on the station’s legacy.

Fifi, Fev & Byron did manage to climb 0.2 points to a 5.0% share, trailing GOLD FM, Nova, Triple M, and was equal fourth on the FM leaderboard with smoothfm.

Fox content director, Amanda Lee, said 2020 has been the most extraordinary year.

“For most of it our shows were broadcasting from home and I couldn’t be prouder of them.

“Our team and our listeners have shown us there is nothing like Melbourne and we just love making a show for the people who live here. In 2021 we will be focused on nothing but fun and being part of bringing our city back to life.

“There will be no place like The Fox in 2021 and we are excited Nick is joining us for the celebrations. Fifi, Fev & Nick have a comfortable chemistry, are Melbourne born and bred and are ready to wrap their arms around the city and people they love.”

The changes means Triple M Breakfast in Brisbane could also be in line for a shakeup.

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Recent comments (14)
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Ray
26 Nov 2020 - 10:06 am

Nick Cody an unknown in Melbourne, just shows you can get a Melbourne gig without having a profile.

Anne
26 Nov 2020 - 12:11 pm

Not surprising about Byron, always felt he was much more than a show anchor. In recent weeks newspapers have been running ads with just Fifi and Fev on the images, so not a surprise to hear this news

Ben
26 Nov 2020 - 12:56 pm

@ray

You mean Nick Cody who’s been selling out Melbourne Comedy Festival shows for years? Multiple appearances on the gala and all star shows and has performed on just about every stage in Melbourne?

The comments on this page have been appalling lately but yours is ignorant as well as toxic

James
26 Nov 2020 - 3:22 pm

I must agree with Ben, so many comments on this website are so toxic lately. And to achieve what? Anyone in this business is damned if they try something, and damned if they don’t. Can everyone chill and enjoy the ride, just be grateful right now to be alive.

JM
26 Nov 2020 - 3:34 pm

Who’s going to panel?
Aaron Rich? Tim Lee? Keegs?

Jack
26 Nov 2020 - 4:17 pm

Agree with James and Ben!

The comments on almost every single article recently have been disgraceful. Pointless, unnecessary & just hateful.

There’s obviously a lot armchair experts and just bitter individuals sitting and waiting to just bring people down. It’s sad

Greg Marks
26 Nov 2020 - 4:45 pm

So, all this time Nick Cody has been “beaming in” from Melbs on a “live and local” brekky show in Bris.
Does this mean SCA might actually get a 3rd person in the Brisbane studios for breakfast?

Hattsville
26 Nov 2020 - 6:17 pm

This change is a step in the right direction to fixing the show. An anchor that’s all over the show suffocates if.
Nick is known in Melbourne and is a very funny guy. Massive hole left in Brisbane though.

And when will MMM announce Mick and Jane for Breakfast and Marty and Meshel for national drive?

AJMELBOURNE
26 Nov 2020 - 9:23 pm

@ Greg Mark

Please think about it & remember most people in Melbourne + Victoria haven’t been allowed to from travel to Queensland in 2020 thanks to COVID19…..

Where’s where’s my popcorn? Where’s my Coke?? I’m just gonna sit back and enjoy reading all the negative comments on Radiotoday

Don’t let facts get in the way
27 Nov 2020 - 8:13 am

Nick Cody moved his family to Brisbane this year. Prior to that he was in Brisbane every week.
Not everyone can just pick up their family and move the day they get a job.

George Williams
27 Nov 2020 - 9:35 am

Sorry you have lost a listener send Soda back to Melbourne and bring Jodie back

Tish
27 Nov 2020 - 11:23 am

The comment re toxic remarks are questionable.
Radio like any other industry is not a love fest where criticism is not allowed.
Sometimes so called radio stats need to be brought down to earth.
They are just doing a job.

RE Tish
27 Nov 2020 - 2:19 pm

@Tish – was your comment meant to say radio “stars” not “stats”? Or do you think radio STATS need to be brought back down to Earth? They have been walking around all high and mighty lately… being all… STAT-Y.

If you think anyone who is anyone is looking at comments from washed up radio people on RadioToday…. mmmmm, you keep doing you.

PJC
28 Nov 2020 - 5:12 am

@RE Tish – I’m guessing then that you’re not an ‘anyone who is anyone’ either.. but you know, ‘you keep doing you’ too 😛

@Hattsville – I’d definitely tune in to Triple M for Meshel, ‘not Tim’ & Marty for Drive; SCA make it so!!

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