Daniel ‘Gawndy’ Gawned to depart Hit Network’s NSW Breakfast show

Daniel ‘Gawndy’ Gawned has announced he is leaving radio, taking a year off to go travelling around the world with his wife before settling down to start a family.

The departure means SCA’s Hit Network needs a new co-host for its syndicated NSW Breakfast show.

Maz Compton joined Gawned permanently in May this year after it was revealed Ash Pollard would not be returning at the end of her parental leave.

Compton will return next year alongside a new co-host.

Gawned thanked all his co-hosts, including Compton, Pollard and Bree Tomasel, as well as producer Matthew Lucas.

He paid special tribute to SCA for its support and understanding.

“I want to say a huge thank you to SCA. They’ve been very supportive, the company here, with our decision. They’ve offered me another deal to stay on with the show, and I really do appreciate that, so it’s not like they’re asking me to move on or anything like that.”

Co-host Compton noted how rare it was for radio hosts to go out on their own terms.

“If you get to call the shots, it’s a real blessing, and that’s what you’re doing,” she said. “And you guys are at a season in life where you want to go live life outside of this [radio] bubble.”

Compton also noted radio isn’t going anywhere, and will always be there for Gawned to return to, going so far as to say it will be the last-standing medium, even after World War III.

Gawned will finish up on December 17, and said that even though the most recent two years had been horrendous due to the COVID situation, the past six years had been the best of his life.

“I could not have asked for this period of time to have gone any better, and I’ve had a dream run of co-hosts,” he said.

He did, however, note that he’d miss speaking to Hit NSW Breakfast’s listeners the most.