Radio king Ray Hadley’s shocking new career move is revealed after he is spotted at a secret meeting – just hours after he announced his retirement

EXCLUSIVE

Talkback radio titan Ray Hadley is secretly in talks to move into a full-time television role at a rival network after wrapping up his impressive career at Nine next month.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal the veteran broadcaster met with executives at Sky News Australia within hours of announcing his retirement from Nine’s flagship 2GB station live last Thursday.

Sources said Hadley arrived at the news channel’s Sydney headquarters for the secret conversation after most of the broadcaster’s staff had already gone home for the day.

He then spent more than an hour in-depth conversation with News Corp network CEO Paul Whittaker and head of programs Mark Calvert.

Hadley will say goodbye to his top-rating morning show for the final time on December 13, despite having around two years left on his multi-million contract with Nine.

Sky News Australia insiders said the network was determined to lure the award-winning broadcaster – and its loyal audience – to the political news channel, with Whittaker personally rolling out on the red carpet for the potential signing.

Ray Hadley will end his role at Nine’s flagship Sydney talkback station 2GB on December 13 after more than two decades hosting his top-rated morning show

The veteran broadcaster wants to spend more time with his wife Sophie

While it is understood Hadley’s contract prohibits him from appearing on a rival radio network, sources said he could be free to join Sky News Australia under the terms of the agreement as the television station does not compete directly with Nine Radio .

Any deal between Hadley and the network would likely see him take a break over the summer to spend time with his family before returning to broadcasting in the new year.

Sources said Hadley’s strong political views actually meant he had long been more in tune with Sky News Australia’s sensibilities than those of Nine and would be a natural fit for the network.

On the day Hadley announced his retirement, he broadcast a wide-ranging conversation with Sky News reporter Peter Stefanovic about the US election, ahead of a similar conversation with his Nine colleague and Stefanovic’s brother Karl.

There are suggestions that the potential deal could also see rugby league continue to call great football matches for Fox Sports.

There is already plenty of speculation in the corridors of Sky News Australia about where Hadley would fit within the broadcaster’s impressive political line-up.

Insiders suggest he has likely been offered his own primetime show in an attempt to lure him to the channel.

The network already boasts a strong stable of Conservative stars, including Andrew Bolt, Peta Credlin, Paul Murray and Chris Kenny – who raised eyebrows last year after breaking with his colleagues and backing the failed Voice to Parliament.

Sky News boss Paul Whittaker – nicknamed Boris because of his resemblance to Wimbledon legend Boris Becker and his love of tennis – is determined to lure Hadley to the News Corp network

It wouldn’t be the first time Nine Radio has lost one of its popular presenters to Sky News Australia.

Former Sydney breakfast radio king Alan Jones also made the switch from 2GB to Sky News when he signed off from his top-rating show four years ago.

Jones ended his stint at the Nine Radio station on May 29, 2020, after telling listeners he was struggling with serious health issues and was warned by his doctors: “If you don’t stop, you’re going to lose weight.”

A month later, Sky News Australia revealed it had signed Jones amid much fanfare to present its own four nights a week 8pm news and current affairs programme.

However, Jones was unable to replicate his radio success on television and his show was eventually dropped after just over a year.

Sources at Sky News Australia said the network’s executives were confident Hadley had a much greater connection with his audience – and would prove a much bigger success.

Hadley is also more than a decade younger than Jones, having turned 70 just six weeks ago, and is still at the top of his game – although a move to late-night television would be beneficial for family and lifestyle reasons.

Former 2GB breakfast presenter Alan Jones made the jump to Sky News Australia but turned out to be a flop

The radio legend announced his shock decision to hang up his microphone on air on Thursday, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife Sophie, his children and grandchildren after decades of starting at 3.30am.

The indefatigable presenter told listeners he had been considering retirement for some time and first raised the prospect with Nine Radio boss Tom Malone at a meeting in Paris where he was covering the Olympics.

“I’ve accomplished a lot more than I thought I would,” Hadley told listeners.

‘My children, Dan, Laura, Emma and Sarah have made many sacrifices over the years to achieve my ambitions.

‘Seven years ago I had no grandchildren, now I have seven, and I want to spend more time in their company Ava, Noah, Ella, Lola, Tommy, Remi and Millar together with their parents.

‘Over three years ago I married the most wonderful woman, Sophie. She is the most supportive, calming, loving woman anyone could ask for and she deserves a break.

‘If I mention it in the newspaper or other media, she gets even more upset than I do.

‘I turned 70 in September and started thinking about how long I have left on this earth and whether I want to get up at half past two in the morning.

Hadley has been a dominant force for 2GB since joining the network from rival 2UE in 2002

‘I started my conversation with [Nine Radio] CEO Tom Malone about my future some time ago, and while I was in Paris we talked to him about him possibly looking for a replacement.

‘I discussed the subject again with Tom last week.

“He listened, but I don’t think he thought I was serious, but I was, and because he’s known me for almost 40 years, he came to the conclusion that I was serious.

“So December 13th of this year will be my last day broadcasting the Ray Hadley Morning Program.”

Although Nine executives praised Hadley’s performance after he announced his retirement, his unexpected departure has given them the daunting task of replacing him in the critical morning time slot.

The Ray Hadley Morning Show has ruled Sydney’s 9am to 12pm slot for 2GB for over twenty years, recently winning its 160th consecutive ratings survey and is also distributed to over 30 stations.

Hadley has been recognized with 35 Australian Commercial Radio Awards for his work in news, current affairs and sport – more than any other broadcaster – and was inducted into the ACRA Hall of Fame in 2017.

The former taxi driver was also awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002 for his services to rugby league and in recognition of his charity work, along with an induction into the Sydney Cricket Ground’s Media Hall of Honor in 2021.

Ben Fordham is one of the favorites to take on the role of Hadley, even if it means Nine’s top brass would then have to find a replacement for him in the equally important breakfast slot

Sources within Nine said the network’s executives would be looking for an established radio star to replace Hadley in the highly competitive timeslot.

Ben Fordham has emerged as one of the early favorites tasked with winning over Hadley’s audience after successfully replacing Jones in the equally important breakfast show timeslot four years ago.

The only downside is that the network would then have to find a replacement for the award-winning Fordham at breakfast.

Other leading contenders include Mark Levy, who currently hosts the evening show Wide World of Sports six nights a week, former 2GB prodigy Jason Morrison and former 60 Minutes-turned-Seven-Spotlight star Liam Bartlett.