What's New October 1, 2025

Celebrating radio’s biggest ACRA winners of all time

Sarah Patterson

Reporter

Ray Hadley at the ACRAs. Image: CRA

Who are the biggest ACRA winners of all time?

Brisbane radio host Liam Renton has done the math.

As we mourn the demise of radio’s night of nights, today we single out some exceptional long-term achievements.

The idea to put together this list stemmed from Liam’s admiration for ACE Radio Metro Content Director Jon Vertigan and his amazing ACRAs haul.

“I’m a big fan of his work,” Liam tells Radio Today.

Liam – a four-time ACRA finalist himself – says “It’s a little disappointing when you don’t win, but on my night Olivia Newton John came and said hi to our table. We were all starstruck.”

“We also got to see Taxi Ride play live and their songs were on 90 minute rotations that year so we at least all knew the words and had a big singalong.”

“It was just an amazingly fun night.”

When it comes to who has won the most ACRA awards, Ray Hadley is the undisputed king.

The former Sydney talkback giant has snared a total of 33 ACRAs in a broadcasting career spanning more than four decades.

2017 was a standout year for Hadley, who became the most celebrated announcer in ACRAs history, awarded Best Talk Presenter, Best Sports Event Coverage and Best Metro AM On-Air Team (as part of the Continuous Call Team).

Hadley was also inducted into the ACRAs Hall of Fame that year.

Fair effort, that.

Former long-time SCA Imaging Director Michael ‘Sidey’ Anderson won 22 ACRAs.

Sidey started working at Triple M Sydney when he was 21.

In March this year his job finished and he departed the station, just a couple of weeks shy of his 51^st birthday.

Sidey said he lived and breathed Triple M:

“All I ever wanted to do was work at Triple M. Not in radio – at Triple M.”

Legendary newsreader and 40 year radio veteran Steve Blanda has 18 ACRAs to his name.

That makes him the most awarded newsreader in Australian history.

Veteran radio host Jon Vertigan – as we mentioned – has an impressive swag of ACRAs, having won 15 awards. Or was it 16? There’s apparently some conjecture online.

Jon tells Radio Today the ACRAs will be sadly missed.

“For a glamorous industry like ours, it’s hard to believe we won’t be gathering together anymore to celebrate success.”

“Our network has pivoted this year to launch the Ace Awards — 21 categories across our group to highlight and reward excellence within our organisation. Not quite the same as standing next to Kyle at the urinal (yes, that actually happened one year — I was petrified), but it’s the next best thing.”

“When I read Radio Today’s article about the biggest ACRA winners of all time, I noticed my name in there with 15 wins (possibly 16). Out of curiosity, I asked my trusty friend ChatGPT, “How many ACRAs have I won?” At first, he replied: “Mate, unless you’ve been sneaking off to Sydney on the quiet, I don’t believe you’ve won any.” After a little digging, he came back with the right answer: 15.”

“Only one of those awards is on display in my home studio; the rest are boxed away — including one of the original pyramid RAWARDs, my very first from 1994.”

“The ACRAs might be gone, but for those of us lucky enough to have been part of them, the memories remain priceless.”

Former Triple M host Luke Bradnam is the proud owner of 10 ACRAs.

In 2019, Luke won the ACRA for his radio comedy segment, but it was his twin brother and fellow radio host Ash who swooped up to the stage to claim the trophy.

Ash later explained that he’d been sitting closer to the stage than Luke and thought it would be funny to steal the limelight, so he did.

Kyle & Jackie O are also no strangers to ACRAs glory, having won 8 awards.

In 2022, the KIIS duo were inducted into the ACRAs Hall of Fame.

Jonesy & Amanda have five ACRAs.

In 2019, the Gold 101.7 duo beat Nova’s Kate, Tim and Marty, KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O, Fox FM’s Fifi, Fev and Byron, Nova’s Chrissie, Sam & Brownyand Triple M’s Kennedy Molloy to be crowned radio’s Best On-Air Team (Metro).

They went on to win the same award four more times.

Many more in our industry can proudly lay claim to being nominated for an ACRA.

Special mention goes to audio producer and voiceover artist Cassie Aldridge, who was a finalist eighteen times before she took home the top prize.

*Images: CRA, ACE Radio Network, LinkedIn and Instagram