It’s official! Dr Chris Brown, Amy Gerard and Jack Charles will take on the KIIS FM Sydney breakfast slot from November 9.
The trio, whose new show will be called KIIS Breakfast with Chris, Amy & Jack, are replacing Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O, who left the network earlier this year under a cloud of controversy.
“Waking up with the city I love and bringing a huge dose of real life, warmth and (hopefully) humour is truly a dream come true,” Dr Chris said when the news was announced on Monday.
“This show will be all about sharing our mornings, some laughs and maybe a few secrets together. I can’t wait. Plus, these hours are also a great way to beat the Bondi Road traffic so it’s a win-win.”
The move marks a new era in the former TV vet’s career as he prepares to share more of his personality and private life with listeners, just months after going “Instagram official” with his new partner, former Channel 10 publicist Lorraine Monforte.
“Dr Chris has spent years being the single, eligible guy on television, but that’s clearly changing. Being part of a couple gives him a completely different lane — and one that brands, radio and television can all tap into,” an industry insider spills.
“The timing of the KIIS announcement is interesting because he’s already been rebuilding his public image. We’re seeing more of Chris and Lorraine, more of his personality and now a much bigger move into entertainment. It all adds to the same brand.”
Dr Chris first got his start in the entertainment industry as the Bondi Vet and has since built a formidable career as a TV host and presenter, spending almost a decade co-hosting I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here alongside Julia Morris before moving to rival network Channel 7 in 2023.
However, despite being one of the most recognisable faces in Australia, the TV personality has mostly kept quiet about his private life until now.
“He’s no longer just the doctor you call for pet advice. He’s becoming a personality with a relationship story, a lifestyle angle and now a radio platform. Whether that’s deliberate or simply where his career is heading, it’s certainly a much bigger brand than the Dr Chris people knew a few years ago.”
With radio hosts often opening up about their own lives on air, industry insiders are wondering whether we’re about to see a different side to the 48-year-old.
“The really interesting question is whether Lorraine becomes part of that public-facing brand too. They don’t have to turn into a packaged celebrity couple, but the more comfortable Chris becomes talking about his personal life, the more opportunities there are for that side of his life to intersect with his work,” our source explains.
“Chris may think he’s simply starting a new radio job and enjoying being in love, but from a brand perspective those two things could actually complement each other. He’s suddenly got a much more rounded story to tell.”
Chris will be joined by regular KIIS FM Breakfast fill-in host Amy Gerard and Jack Charles, who has worked on The Chrissie Swan Show as an anchor and executive producer since 2016.
Rounding out the team is newsreader Natalie Penfold, who took over the role from Brooklyn Ross when he moved to Kyle Sandilands’ new independent podcast earlier this year.
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