The ending of an era is always met with trepidation and uncertainty. This morning happens to be one of those where a lot of South Africans have to come to grips with seeing (Or hearing) one of their favorite radio personalities for the last time as they know it. We're talking, of course, about Gareth Cliff who announced his resignation this morning after ten excellent years as the voice of the 5FM Breakfast Drive.
He's not going alone either; Cliff's team is leaving too. This morning marks the end of 5FM Mornings as we've known them. Following Gareth Cliff out of the exit door will be his colleagues, Sias Du Plessis, Leigh Ann Mol, Thabo Modisane, Mabale Moloi and the hilarious Damon Kalvari.
While we're not sure what fate awaits the rest of the team, it is widely believed that Gareth Cliff will be pursuing personal ventures following his resignation (We're going to be speculating what some of these may be later, look out for that!). The radio DJ announced his departure on Twitter this morning and added the following in a statement:
“I’ve had an amazing decade at 5FM together with my ‘one-of-kind’ team and I have loved every minute. The journey has been an unforgettable one but I’m excited about the future."
Meanwhile, 5FM programming manager, Tim Zunckel had this to say
“5FM is enormously appreciative of Gareth’s incredible work ethic, his dedication to his listeners and support of the 5FM brand. The station thanks Gareth for his exceptional ten years of on-air presence as well as being an ambassador for the station, we wish him the very best in future.”
We're not quite sure how we feel about this news; all we know is that 5FM will never be the same (Which isn't always a bad thing, of course). We mentioned it several times in the last few weeks, but 2008 saw established DJs, Sasha and F, replaced by the relatively unknown Grant and Anele. Anele is now one of the biggest names in radio. Change brings about opportunity, and we hope whoever takes over from Gareth and the team makes the most of their chances.
A massive thank you to Gareth Cliff, LeighAnn Mol, Mabale Moloi, Sias Du Plessis, Damon Kalvari and Thabo Modisane for putting together an excellent morning drive- your entertainment will always be missed!