The Aporia · Sharnelle Vella quits ABC breakfast as radio exodus continues

Sharnelle Vella, a respected journalist, has quit her position as co-host of ABC Melbourne’s breakfast radio show alongside Bob Murphy. She joined the show in January 2025 but announced her departure recently after being on maternity leave since March. Her exit follows similar moves by other popular Australian radio hosts like Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little, who are ending their long-running drive show at Hit Network this year. Vella’s decision continues a trend of changes in the local radio market, despite some recovery in ratings for her ABC breakfast show after initial struggles.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-22, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

Story summary

Respected journalist Sharnelle Vella is exiting as co-host of ABC Melbourne’s breakfast radio show, continuing a trend of shake-ups in the local radio market. Vella joined the breakfast show alongside former AFL star Bob Murphy in January 2025 and was expected to return after her maternity leave following the birth of her daughter, Eve, in March. However, five unnamed sources revealed that Vella recently informed management she would like to take a different path, despite previous expectations for her to stay with the ABC in 2027. The news comes as Carrie Bickmore and comedian Tommy Little announced they will exit their national drive show on Hit Network at the end of the year after a decade on air. Vella’s departure marks another significant loss for the station, which has seen its overall share drop to 5.4 percent in Melbourne since March when Vella went on leave.

Written for “Sharnelle Vella Quits ABC Breakfast” on 2026-10-22, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Sharnelle Vella Quits ABC Breakfast

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Fiona Byrne

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🔮 Vella, who has been on maternity leave since the birth of her daughter, Eve, in March, was expected to stay on with the ABC in 2027 and return to the co-hosting chair alongside Murphy, a former Western Bulldogs player.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Sharnelle Vella quits ABC breakfast as radio exodus continues

🔮 After almost a decade as a radio team, Gold Logie winner Carrie Bickmore and comedian Tommy Little have called time on their Carrie & Tommy national drive show and will exit the Hit Network at the end of the year.

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The show’s ratings recovered somewhat; however, in March, when Vella went on leave, the ABC’s overall share of 5.4 per cent in Melbourne constituted the largest drop of any station, with its breakfast, afternoon, drive and evening shows all losing share.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-22

2026-10-22 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Sharnelle Vella quits ABC breakfast as radio exodus continues · assertive framing

Respected journalist Sharnelle Vella is exiting as co-host of ABC Melbourne’s breakfast radio show. asserted

Vella → exit → show

Vella joined the breakfast show alongside former AFL star Bob Murphy in January 2025, just weeks after quitting Channel Seven, where she was a top reporter in the Melbourne newsroom. asserted

she → join → newsroom

Vella, who has been on maternity leave since the birth of her daughter, Eve, in March, was expected to stay on with the ABC in 2027 and return to the co-hosting chair alongside Murphy, a former Western Bulldogs player. asserted

who → expect → Murphy

However, five sources with knowledge of her departure, but not authorised to speak publicly, revealed Vella had informed management in recent days that she would like to take a different path. asserted

she → authorise → path

The sources said ABC Melbourne staff were informed on Thursday that Vella was departing. asserted

Vella → say → Thursday

Vella’s exit continues the shake-up underway in the local radio market, with Carrie Bickmore and comedian Tommy Little calling time on their Carrie & Tommy national drive show on Wednesday. asserted

Bickmore → continue → Wednesday

They will exit the Hit Network after a decade on air at the end of the year. asserted

They → exit → year

Bickmore fought back tears while announcing to listeners, while her co-host Little said it was “certainly not how I wanted it to end”. asserted

it → fight → listeners

Meanwhile, the KIIS drive shift is up for grabs with the Will & Woody drive show, hosted by Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw, also ending at year’s end. asserted

show → host → end

Vella and Murphy launched their breakfast show in 2025, taking over the highly scrutinised shift from comedian Sammy J. The pair endured a baptism of fire as their ratings dropped, sparking a storm of media criticism. asserted

ratings → launch → criticism

In March 2025, Murphy had to apologise to Vella on air for making a “gross” joke that insinuated that she had once worked at Melbourne strip club Spearmint Rhino. asserted

she → have → Rhino

The show made headlines again in April 2025 when Murphy slept through his alarm and missed most of the first hour of the program. asserted

Murphy → make → program

Media commentary at the time questioned if the fledgling team would last six months. asserted

team → question → time

shows → recover → share

Despite this, listeners responded warmly when Vella announced she and her husband, Nicholas Koutrigaros, were expecting their first child after four years of trying and numerous rounds of IVF. asserted

she → respond → IVF

In making the announcement in November last year, Vella described her pending parenthood as a dream come true. asserted

Vella → make → dream

“Our journey to get here hasn’t been easy, but we’re grateful for the support of our loved ones and friends. asserted

we → get → ones

We hope our story can offer hope to others navigating endometriosis and infertility,” she said. asserted

she → hope → endometriosis

Richelle Hunt joined ABC breakfast in March 2026 as Vella’s maternity leave cover. asserted

Hunt → join → cover

Whether Hunt will stay in the role in 2027 is unclear. uncertain

stay → stay → 2027

Both Vella and the ABC were approached for comment but neither responded. asserted

neither → approach → comment

Be the first to know when major news happens. asserted

news → know → ?

Sharnelle Vella quits ABC breakfast as radio exodus continues

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