Home / Arts and Entertainment / Radio Star's Sydney Show Plummets in Ratings
Radio Star's Sydney Show Plummets in Ratings
19 Mar
Summary
- Sydney breakfast share dropped from 9.7% to 6.1% in three months.
- O'Connell's Melbourne show lost its number one FM spot to Nova.
- He previously rebuilt his audience in Melbourne within 18 months.

Christian O'Connell's Gold FM breakfast show has suffered a severe ratings blow in Sydney, just three months after its debut in early 2026. The show's audience share dropped by 3.6 points, from 9.7 per cent to 6.1 per cent, placing it fourth among FM stations. This decline occurred after the show was networked into Sydney, displacing long-time hosts.
O'Connell's performance has also dipped in Melbourne, where his show lost its number one FM position. His audience share fell to 10.6 per cent, allowing Nova's Jase and Lauren to take the lead.
Despite these recent challenges, O'Connell has a demonstrated ability to rebuild his audience. He previously became the top-rated breakfast host in Melbourne within 18 months of his arrival in Australia in 2018. His career also includes a successful 12-year run as breakfast host for Absolute Radio in the UK. The presenter has also openly discussed past struggles with anxiety and panic attacks, which he managed to overcome.




