Merrick and Dools bow out from Nova breakfast

25 August 2011

by Poppy Reid

DMG has announced the hosts of Nova 969's breakfast radio show, Merrick and Dools will conduct their final broadcast next month.

The radio network also announced both Merrick Watts and Scott Dooley will stay within the Nova family but move on from the breakfast timeslot from Friday September 2 after their final show live at Sydney's Opera Bar.

However in a nostalgic video released by Nova yesterday, Watts ends the on-air announcement with a heart-felt speech, suggesting the end of his tenure not only with the Sydney breakfast show but with the station altogeher.

“It has been an incredible 10 years that I have spent here. I have loved it more than you could even imagine and there’s so many people I will thank,” said Watts, (watch the video below).

Watts has been with Nova since the Sydney station launched a decade ago and although it hasn't been revealed where Merrick and Dools will move on to, Paul Jackson, dmg Radio Group Program Director has promised an announcement in the coming weeks.

"I want to thank Merrick and Dools for the fantastic job they have done, especially Merrick for the influence he has had on the success of Nova," said Jackson. "We will announce the boys’ next move in the coming weeks.”

Mumbrella has speculated the reason for the change could be down to the most recent Radio Ratings Survey which saw the slot's share jump by just under 1%.

Paul Jackson, dmg Radio group program director, told Mumbrella: “It’s not about an individual survey, we look at this over an extended period of time. We’re always thinking about what is the best output we can make and the best line-up we can put up.”

New hosts for the breakfast show will be announced this Friday.

Watch Watts' announcement below.