After seven years of laughs and good times, triple j is farewelling Tom Ballard, who’s saying goodbye to the breakfast gig he co-hosts with lifelong best friend Alex Dyson, moving on to focus on his “real passions”, which includes stand-up comedy.
Ballard, who turns 24 today, has been broadcasting with the j since he was 17, taking over the prestigious breakfast gig at the ripe old age of 20. Jeez, we feel old. Since then he’s interviewed pretty much every comedian and musician you can name, presented a kick-arse Like A Version each week and been nominated for an ARIA for his compilation CD Tom & Alex: The Bits We’re Least Ashamed Of. Wowzers.
Tom posted a goodbye message on his blog, in which he says he feels extraordinarily lucky:
“For the past seven years I’ve been paid to wake up with one of my best friends in the whole world, talk shit, wear zentai suits, laugh at my dad, drink instant coffee and play good music. It’s been the sweetest of gigs, but I feel like now’s the right time for me to try new things. This will give me an opportunity to focus on my real passions: standup comedy and not getting up at 4am.”
To send Tom out in style, his last show will be broadcast live from The Metro in Sydney on Friday, 13th December, including some surprise guests and a live Like A Version. Alex Dyson will be holding up the breakfast fort in 2014, with his new co-host set to be announced on air on 3rd December.
