Loving everything about radio: Daisy Thomas starts fill-in gig on The Rush Hour

Former AFL star Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas says he loves radio and everything that comes with it, as today he begins his latest on-air adventure, co-hosting Triple M’s Rush Hour alongside Billy Brownless.

Thomas will join the show until the footy season starts, filling in whilst regular Rush Hour co-host James Brayshaw takes some time off after covering the cricket over summer.

Having been involved with the network’s footy coverage, then a five-month stint co-hosting Triple M Melbourne Breakfast last year alongside Wil Anderson and Rosie Walton, Thomas told the Herald Sun (subscription required) he’s grateful for all the opportunities he’s been given.

“The fact that I actually got a taste of that world of brekky radio was great and it is something I would love to get back into at some point. It is completely different. It was a great experience and another opportunity to learn and evolve.”

Thomas has made the transition from professional sport to media with ease. He’s a radio natural. When the Breakfast gig with Anderson and Walton came to an end, he was honest about his feelings, sharing on Instagram:

“I’m not too proud to say that I was disappointed to not get the nod to continue next year.”

Thomas has previously filled in on The Rush Hour. For him, getting to work with Brownless again is beyond exciting. As he told the newspaper:

“I listen to The Rush Hour and every time he has me in stitches when I am in the car driving home, so to see him two and a half metres away across the desk probably brings you more joy than you would ever know.”

“Billy is hilarious, he is himself, we all love him. What he is saying is unfiltered.”

“The man is a genius.”

Late last year, SCA announced that Melbourne’s Rush Hour show with JB & Billy would be networked into Adelaide and Perth in 2025, as the local Rush Hour shows in those states came to an end.

Thomas plans to tackle his latest on-air challenge head-on, saying that whilst he might come across as blasé and a little cavalier at times, he always makes sure he prepares.

“I try to be my authentic self, which is a little bit loose at times.”

Triple M’s The Rush Hour with JB & Billy can be heard from 4-6 p.m, Monday to Friday, across Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, and Triple M’s regional stations in South Australia and WA.