Trevor Chappell, the longtime presenter of ABC Radio’s Overnights, will sign off from the program at the end of July after 26 years hosting the national overnight broadcast.
Chappell’s final program will air on 30 July.
The ABC has said it will announce a new presenter in the coming weeks.
ABC Director Audio Ben Latimer paid tribute to Chappell’s tenure. “For 25 years, Trevor Chappell has been a trusted companion to Australians through the quietest hours of the night,” Latimer said.
“His warmth, humour and genuine curiosity have made Overnights a place where listeners feel heard, connected and welcome.”
READ MORE: Justin Stevens set for huge payout after leaving ABC
READ MORE: ABC News Facebook page hacked
From 6PR to the graveyard shift
Chappell grew up in Western Australia and held a range of jobs across the state before entering radio – including stints at mines and wheat bins in the far north-west, building sites, and a pub in Broome.
He began his broadcasting career as a producer at Perth’s 6PR before returning to Melbourne in 1995 as a casual producer with the ABC.
He spent four years as a producer and roving reporter for 774 ABC Melbourne and Victorian Regional Radio before taking on Overnights in 2000.
Reflecting on his first shift, Chappell said: “My first shift was terrifying. Everything was scripted and organised to the minute, but there is no allowance for nerves. After a few early stumbles, we finally took a call from Pamela, my first talkback caller, and from that moment everything was okay.
“The kindness and generosity of listeners made that first day, and the 26 years since, so rewarding and a joy.”
Chappell credited the program’s support network for sustaining his long run on the shift.
“It is impossible to do shift work for as long as I have without support at work and at home. From producers like Michael Pavlich and Mick James, alongside colleagues including Helen Richardson and John Standish, our regular callers and my partner Cathy at home, that support has made a 25-year career possible,” he said.
A night at the museum
To mark his departure, Chappell will host a live broadcast of Overnights from Melbourne Museum on the night of 28 July, running from late night through to early morning.
Audience members can apply to attend the event via the ABC Melbourne website.
Lynley Crosswell, CEO and Director of Museums Victoria, said the institution was proud to host the broadcast.
“There are few voices Australians have spent more late nights with than Trevor Chappell. Like the ABC, Museums Victoria exists to spark curiosity and connect people through a compelling story.”