Lucy & Nikki warm up Drive for Lu & Jarch

Lucy Jackson and Nikki Westcott will take over Hit Network’s national 3-4pm weekday slot from 18 January 2027, completing a new afternoon lineup alongside Lu & Jarch following Carrie & Tommy’s departure.

The Happy Hour with Lucy & Nikki hosts will present Lucy & Nikki before handing over to Luisa Dal Din and Jack Archdale, whose Lu & Jarch show will air from 4–6pm.

The appointment gives Jackson and Westcott a permanent weekday berth after joining Hit in 2024 with a national Saturday night show. They have since expanded into Friday nights and Saturday mornings, and regularly filled in on national Drive over the past year.

READ MORE: 'Not how I wanted it to end': Carrie and Tommy confirm Hit exit

READ MORE: Lu & Jarch take Hit Drive as network bets on edge that won’t spook clients

A new afternoon lineup after Carrie & Tommy

The changes follow Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little’s announcement that their national Drive show will finish at the end of 2026, bringing their nearly decade-long partnership on Hit to a close.

The pair confirmed their departure on air on 21 October. They joined Hit in 2017, building an audience around their friendship, comedy, listener trips, and fundraising campaigns.

Lu & Jarch will move across from Triple M’s 2–4pm early Drive show to fill the 4–6pm vacancy. The duo made their radio debut in mid-2025 and will also bring their podcast, We Mean Well, to LiSTNR.

Their promotion follows growth in their early Drive audience share from 8.6% to 10.4%, as Mediaweek previously reported.

Together, the appointments put two established podcast partnerships at the centre of Hit’s national afternoon schedule.

From podcast audience to weekday radio

The move builds on Jackson and Westcott’s following across podcasting, live events and their businesses, fashion label Jagger & Stone and wine label Jackson West.

According to the September 2026 Triton Australian Podcast Ranker, Happy Hour with Lucy & Nikki attracted more than 630,000 monthly listeners. The podcast has also recorded 17 million downloads, according to the announcement.

Jackson said the pair were looking forward to joining the weekday lineup.

"We're super excited for 2027 to be able to join the Drive lineup, along with our good mates Lu and Jarch. We feel so lucky that we get to call this work and can't wait to sink our teeth into something new!"

Westcott said the radio expansion comes as the duo also explore video for their podcast.

"We love what we do, and the community we've built, and we're so excited about where we can take the brand from here. Expanding our radio show into a daily slot on Drive, while exploring video episodes for our podcast feels like a really natural step for us," said Westcott.

Hit backs audience and commercial appeal

Amanda Lee, Head of Hit Network Content, said the duo’s development as broadcasters and ability to work with advertisers had underpinned the investment.

“Watching Lucy and Nikki evolve across the network over the past three years has been incredible. They have a strong work ethic and dedication to their broadcasting craft, combined with sharp commercial instincts and an impactful approach to integrating brands into their content.

“Investing in their growth has been a priority for us, and seeing their dedication pay off makes this announcement especially rewarding. Their energy resonates deeply with our audience and opens up powerful opportunities for our commercial partners.

“We are continuing to reinvigorate the Hit Network, teaming Lucy & Nikki with Lu & Jarch in Drive, alongside our established Breakfast teams, including The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick, B105’s Stav, Abby & Matt, and Mix’s Pete & Kymba, while also building strong momentum with SAFM’s Bel & Bernie, and 2DayFM’s Nath & Emma with Michael Clarke on 2DayFM. We’re delivering a 2027 lineup driven by authentic connection, big laughs and entertaining content.”

The afternoon changes form part of a broader Hit refresh. Michael Clarke will join Nath Roye and Emma Chow on 2DayFM Breakfast from 11 January 2027, following regular appearances during the remainder of 2026.

Hit is positioning its two new Drive shows as complementary offerings with distinct audience appeal, giving advertisers broader reach and more targeted partnership opportunities across the afternoon.

Before the weekday launch, Jackson and Westcott will stage UNBOXED in Melbourne on 19 December, billed as their biggest live event to date.