5FM, the country’s biggest pop station, confirmed today that Gareth Cliff would be joining the radio station. Cliff, who currently presents the breakfast show on Radio 702, effectively joins 5FM on 1 November but will be on air from the beginning of December.
Commented John Langford, Acting Station Manager 5FM, "We’re very excited about Gareth joining 5FM. The SABC are committed to securing world-class talent, and we believe that Gareth is an asset that will add immense value to our brand. In terms of which show he’ll present, we are in the process of finalizing the broader DJ line up and will confirm these details at the end of this month."
"Gareth is edgy, intelligent, informed, funny and opinionated. We look forward to him joining us."
Said Gareth Cliff on his impending move: "5FM is a great big national station that’s always on the cutting edge, trend setting, forward thinking and able to do things that no other stations can do. The way it sounds is now, young and powerful and I’m really pleased that I’m joining at a time when both of us want to do something innovative."
"I’m excited by the whole creative potential that I’ll be able to do things on 5fm that I can’t do anywhere else."
Gareth’s rise in radio has been fast and spectacular. He started off at 702 four years ago as a producer for John Robbie, quickly working his way on air and on to present the breakfast show in February 2001.
His only radio experience prior to that was with campus station, TUKS FM, where he had a somewhat turbulent relationship with the station authorities. Suspended numerous times the station fired him after a show in which he ran a penis size competition, did a parody song on PW Botha and the TRC, called up his maid for a weather report and held an imaginary prostrate examination on air.
Commented Cliff: "Which one is offensive to you? At the hearing I was given the option of resigning, but a guy in showbiz never passes an opportunity to get some publicity- so I left them no choice."
Cliff’s move to the station was masterminded by acting station manger John Langford and recently appointed programming manger Nick Grubb.
