Gold Coast radio listeners have bid farewell to Bronte Langbroek and Danny Lakey, after the popular Sea FM breakfast hosts announced their show had been axed by parent company Southern Cross Austereo (SCA).
The pair used their final appearance on air to thank their audience and reflect on their time together, bringing an abrupt end to a program that had become a familiar part of morning routines across the Gold Coast and regional Queensland. The emotional farewell came amid widespread job cuts across SCA, with the company implementing a significant cost-reduction strategy affecting hundreds of positions nationwide.
Bronte Langbroek and Danny Lakey began hosting "Bronte & Lakey for Breakfast" on 90.9 Sea FM in early 2024. Their chemistry, humour and local focus helped build a loyal following among Gold Coast listeners. Despite the show's popularity, the breakfast program became one of several casualties of SCA's latest restructuring measures.
The decision follows SCA's announcement that it would undertake a group-wide cost reduction program, placing up to 300 jobs at risk across its operations. The media company has indicated the measures are designed to deliver substantial annual savings as it responds to challenging market conditions and changing audience habits.
Industry observers have described the departure of Bronte and Lakey as another sign of the increasing centralisation occurring within Australian commercial radio. In recent years, several regional stations have replaced locally produced programming with broader networked content in an effort to reduce operational costs.
Reports suggest the Gold Coast breakfast show will be replaced by a state-wide program originating outside the region, reducing the amount of locally produced content available to listeners.
The news prompted an outpouring of support from fans on social media, with many expressing disappointment at losing one of the Coast's few remaining locally focused breakfast programs. Listeners thanked the pair for their humour, community involvement and ability to bring positivity to weekday mornings.
Langbroek, a born-and-raised Gold Coaster, had previously described hosting Sea FM's breakfast show as a "full circle moment," having grown up listening to the station before eventually joining its on-air team. Lakey, who had worked in radio for more than a decade, had also become a well-known voice across regional Queensland.
While neither host has publicly confirmed their next career move, both are expected to remain highly regarded figures within the Australian media industry.
For many listeners, their departure marks the end of an era for local Gold Coast radio, highlighting the ongoing challenges facing traditional broadcasters as they adapt to evolving consumer habits and economic pressures.
