Fitzy & Wippa With Kate Ritchie Staff Member Quits Live On Air

Fitzy, Wippa and Kate Ritchie‘s newsreader Matt de Groot has announced his departure from the show after 10 years. The announcement was made on the air.

An emotional Matt stunned listeners with the news, revealing he is relocating to London early next year.

“It has been the best 10 years with the best team," he said while fighting to hold back tears.

He explained his wife was being relocated to the UK.

“It’s too great an opportunity as a family to pass up the chance to move to London and live over there for a couple of years."

“So after 10 years of telling people ‘it’s busy on the M5’, someone else will have the opportunity to do the best job in Sydney radio news next year.”

“We know the love you have for your family, and we’ve been trying to talk you around this and is there any way we can have you involved … It’s not over for us,” Fitzy responded.

“Because we do get stuck into you, Matty, but the insight you bring into this show and your personality – you have been a vital part of this show for 10 years and we want to say thank you very much for all of that, buddy.”

“You’re making me upset,” Wippa said as Matt broke down.

“I have loved this, and love it, and I’m not going because I don’t love it. In 10 years, there’s lots of water that goes under the bridge … We live very intimately close to each other, at hours of the day where you’re generally at your emotionally-tethered end,” Matt continued.

“And to do it, at it’s core, with people who … care. It’s not a decision I’m making easily or lightly but because it’s such a great opportunity for the family and … thank you for having me.”

“I’ve done the maths, and I’ve done 39,000 traffic reports in 10 years.”

The station’s switchboard lit up, as listeners called in sharing their reactions to the news. Some were sobbing.

“MDG, bloody awesome work you’ve done over the past 10 years on the show … Back when you were doing the morning show with Sarah [McGilvray], tuning in, because I’m a truckie … it’s been a pleasure, you’ve done an awesome job – thank you very much,” Richard from Wilton said.

Donna in Chester Hill said, "I’m sorry Matt, I’m a little bit emotional. I had a stroke earlier this year and it was obviously a rough time."

“But it was listening to you and even going back to the podcast where they would play these horrible – but very funny – jokes on you, that really got me through the rough time."

“I just hope whoever is your replacement is there for everything that these guys dish out, because it’s what makes this show so great.”

Sam from Wahroonga described Matt as “without peer."

“I moved back to Sydney in 2014, always listened to you guys on the radio. MDG, you are without peer as the best newsreader in Australia, it’s been awesome."

Fitzy agreed, saying, “He’s so good at delivering it all, but also having that personality on the side.”

Matt joined the show as breakfast show in 2013, and has delivered the news since from the top of the Harbour Bridge, in an ice bath, in a fighter plane, in a helicopter, on the snow, on a cruise ship, and in the line for Harry Styles.

Over the last decade at Nova, he also previously hosted the 5.30am Matt and Sarah show and weekend breakfast with Matt, Sarah and Matty J.

He will finish up on the Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie show at the end of this year.