Award-winning broadcaster and one of Perth’s most accomplished journalists, Gary Adshead will join ABC Radio Perth from January 2025.
Adshead will host ABC Radio Perth’s Drive program in the new year.
Of the new role, Adshead said: “No matter how long you spend in the media business, there’s always a surprise around the corner.”
“For me to have the chance to speak with, inform and entertain an ABC audience was an opportunity too good to refuse.
“From January, I am determined to bring energy, experience, curiosity, a nose for news and plenty of laughter to the Drive program.”
ABC Radio Perth Manager Danielle Benda said she was absolutely delighted that Gary had decided to join the ABC team.
“Gary has been breaking news stories and asking the hard questions in Perth for more than 35 years. Few people know this city like Gary,” she said.
“He has a formidable reputation as a reporter, with a great ear for a good story, a genuine interest in people as well as a warmth and humour that make him essential listening.
“He will be a brilliant addition to our ABC Radio team as we start the new year.”
Afternoons host Michael Tetlow is returning to the ABC News Channel to present the evening and late national TV bulletins.
“Doing Afternoons has been an absolute blast,” he said.
“But I’ve only ever been on loan to radio and television is my first love. I have missed TV and as decision time drew nearer, I had to make a call.”
Current ABC Radio Perth Drive host Jo Trilling will move to the Afternoons program.
Trilling said she was thrilled to be presenting Afternoons.
“Hosting the Drive program for the past two years has been a great joy and I have loved every minute.
“But Drive is all consuming and I have two young kids who are very excited to have me back at after school sport and I suspect helping cook dinner in the kitchen.
“My driving force has always been to try to help people understand the world a little better and give voice to those without one. I will continue to do that on Afternoons as well as having a heck of a lot of fun! There will be a little more of the thrilling Jo Trilling I dare say.
“I do hope you’ll turn the dial on a little earlier in the arvo, I so look forward to having a chat in 2025.”
About Gary Adshead
The career of investigative journalist, political reporter and broadcaster Gary Adshead has spanned four decades, having started when he was an 18-year-old cadet working for a regional newspaper in New Zealand.
The now 58-year old’s dedication to journalism and storytelling has seen him win more than 20 awards across television, radio and print.
He has been the WA Journalist of the Year on four occasions and in October, added a prestigious Australian Commercial Radio Award to the list for Best Podcast by a Radio Show, which was in recognition of his podcast series The Reporter: True Stories.
Some of Adshead’s most memorable reporting was into the fake medals scandal surrounding fallen politician Barry Urban, which resulted in a police investigation and inquiry by the WA Parliament.
In 1997, he covered the rescue of stricken sailor Tony Bullimore from aboard HMAS Adelaide more than 2000 kilometres south of Albany in the Southern Ocean.
He spent more than two weeks on Christmas Island in 2020, when the first pandemic evacuees arrived from Wuhan, China to be quarantined.
His skillset has developed during newsroom management roles at Channel Seven, as the political editor for The West Australian newspaper and Channel Nine – and as a police and investigative reporter reporting on organised crime.
Adshead has also hosted both the morning and drive-time programs for 6PR as far back as 2003.
He is married to Helen, is the father of two boys, aged 20 and 24, loves sport and non-fiction crime books.
