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Courier-Mail
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Who is the best Aussie radio star of the 21st century?
Don't miss out on the headlines from Entertainment. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia, I have a big ask. I want you to tell me who you think is the best FM radio host from the last 25 years. Personally, I think there are five who could claim the title, including one who deserves way more hype (more on that soon). To celebrate the launch of the new app, we're celebrating the people, places and events we'll never forget from the first quarter of the 21st century by asking for Australia's view. Our 25@25 series will finally put to bed the debates you've been having at the pub and around dinner tables for years – and some that are just too much fun not to include. It wasn't easy, and there are many talented stars who have been left out (apologies to Fitzy, Wippa, Andy Lee, Kate Langbroek, Merrick, Rosso and Matt Tilley to name just a few). I invited Mitch Churi, considered by many to be one of this country's most promising radio talents, to run through the shortlist with me. Here they are in no particular order. Hamish Blake He's arguably the funniest radio star Australia has ever known, and many have since tried to imitate what he does. 'So much commercial radio that's made today is based on Hamish and Andy, and more so Hamish Blake,' Churi said. 'He's so funny and charming.' Hamish and Andy dominated national FM radio from 2006 to 2017, creating some truly magical on-air moments that will be remembered for years to come. Hamish Blake. Picture: Nigel Wright Carrie Bickmore. Carrie Bickmore Carrie had a small role on radio as a newsreader before she made it big on TV thanks to Rove and The Project. But she's arguably done some of her best work alongside Tommy Little on The Carrie and Tommy Show which has been on the Hit Network since 2017. ' She's made that jump from TV to radio which I don't think works every time,' Churi said. 'I find TV talent often struggle on radio (but) Carrie bucked the trend. She's so organic, she's so natural, she's real.' Kyle Sandilands The KIIS FM host is easily Australia's most talked about radio star. He's had many controversies over the years, but there's no denying he's one of the greatest to ever sit behind a microphone. 'He gets the craft unlike anyone else,' Churi said about Sandilands. 'He's brilliant. 'He actually taught me everything I know in radio. My first paid radio job was at KIIS FM and I was 'Mitch, the coffee bitch', a name coined by Kyle. ' I was 19 and I would make him eight lattes … a day.' Dave Hughes. Kyle Sandilands. Dave Hughes Hughesy started hosting a Nova show back in 2001, and enjoyed a pretty consistent radio career all the way through to late 2024 when his 2Day FM breakfast show was axed. 'He's similar to Kyle in that he doesn't hold back, he says what he wants,' Churi said about the comedian. 'There's no one like Hughesy on radio … It's that voice as well, it's so annoying but it's brilliant!' Fifi Box Fifi is adored in Melbourne where she has hosted the Fox FM breakfast show for more than 10 years. ' Fifi allows the audience to feel like we're a friend, and that's very hard to do,' Churi said. ' I remember listening to Fifi and Jules when I was in high school,' he added. 'When she went on maternity leave and had her baby, I was invested. 'I was like, 'is Fifi in labour? Has Fifi given birth?' 'It was my royal baby!' he joked. Fifi Box. Jackie O. Picture: John Appleyard Jackie O Over the years, some have suggested that Jackie O has ridden on the coat-tails of her controversial co-host, Kyle Sandilands. It's an unfair suggestion, because Jackie is one of the most talented broadcasters Australia has ever known. 'She's the brains behind that machine,' Churi said about The Kyle and Jackie O Show. 'Jackie's smart. 'She knows the image, she knows the brand so well, and the key to their success, I think, is a genuine friendship.' Mick Molloy The popular Aussie comedian has enjoyed a long relationship with Triple M, and currently hosts the station's breakfast show in Melbourne. 'He's very smart and knows that audience like no one else,' Churi said about Molloy. 'Of all the commercial stations in Australia, the Triple M audience is very peculiar … They know exactly what they want and he (Molloy) gives it to them every time. He's a genius!' Mick Molloy. Picture: Benny Capp Tim Blackwell. Tim Blackwell This is the radio star who in my opinion is criminally underrated. Blackwell has co-hosted the Nova drive show since 2011, and a large part of its ratings success over the years is down to him. Not only does he co-host, but he also panels the show (controls the mics, faders etc) and drives a lot of the show's content. 'The work that man does is more than any broadcaster in this country, hands down,' Churi said. 'I filled in for Tim when he was off sick a few months ago. I was panelling and I was hosting and I almost had a stroke! 'He commands that show, and I completely agree, he's slept on (underrated).' Amanda Keller I challenge you to find me one person who doesn't like Amanda Keller. Currently hosting the Gold FM breakfast show in Sydney, Keller has been one of Australia's most loved entertainers for decades. 'She's a very special talent,' Churi said about Keller. 'Amanda Keller is an intelligent woman. It's that intelligence and wit that we all wish we had, and it's also an ability to be really earnest and really honest with her audience. ' Having a breakfast radio show requires you to just lay everything bare on the table, and she is 100 per cent herself. 'She's not afraid to get on there and cry … and then the next break … she's making you laugh your ass off.' Amanda Keller. Picture: Brendon Thorne Marty Sheargold. Marty Sheargold The comedian parted ways with Triple M under a cloud of controversy earlier this year, but that shouldn't erase the incredible career he had before it. Sheargold was hilarious on the legendary Nova show, Kate, Tim and Marty, and enjoyed a loyal audience when he moved to Triple M to host The Marty Sheargold Show. Mitch Churi's top three When asked to pick his three favourites from the shortlist of 10, Churi named Amanda Keller, Tim Blackwell and Jackie O. What do you think? Have your say in the poll above. To celebrate the launch of the new app, we're celebrating the people, places and events we'll never forget from the first quarter of the 21st century by asking for Australia's view. Our 25@25 series will finally put to bed the debates you've been having at the pub and around dinner tables for years – and some that are just too much fun not to include. Originally published as Who is the best Aussie radio star of the 21st century?
Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Forget CrossFit, this $140 million fitness event is taking over
At first, it was the shirtless men. Ripped, sweaty, and moving in a brutal dance of sprinting, sled pushing, and collapsing in dramatic heaps. My Instagram and TikTok feeds were suddenly full of them. I raised an eyebrow. What was this? Then I started seeing women doing it, too. This wasn't your average gym reel or fit-fluencer thirst trap. These people looked like they were in the middle of a full-blown endurance event. Related: Apple Watch, Fitbit rival stuns with bold message They were sprinting across concrete, dragging sleds, doing wall balls and burpee broad jumps in front of crowds. There were timers, announcers, people in branded gear. Some were even wearing cute matching outfits. Whatever this was, it clearly wasn't just a workout. It looked miserable. It looked competitive. It also looked…strangely hot? At first, I thought maybe it was just a CrossFit thing. But this felt different - more structured, more polished. It was showing up in London, Miami, Berlin. Everywhere. So I started digging. Enter: Hyrox. So what is Hyrox? Founded in Germany in 2017, this race is designed to test both endurance and strength. It always follows the same format: participants run eight 1-kilometer laps, and after each lap, they stop to complete a challenging workout. Think dragging heavy sleds, rowing machines, burpees, and throwing medicine balls at a target - all done back to back. The race is open to anyone, with divisions for individuals, doubles, and relays. And because the format doesn't change, athletes can compare times globally, climb the leaderboards, and even qualify for world championships. Related: Nike fumbles its biggest launch of the year It's what co-founder Moritz Fürste calls "the marathon of fitness," and the numbers are proving it's catching on. In 2025, Hyrox will host 83 events and see over 650,000 athletes compete. It operates in 11 countries globally and does approximately $140 million in revenue, according to this interview with Fürste. In another interview with CNBC, Fürste said, "We will be a global sport," and it's hard to argue otherwise. What started as a niche competition is quickly becoming the next big thing in functional fitness, with mass-market appeal. The rise of Hyrox is more than just a viral trend: it's a clear signal that the fitness landscape is shifting. According to Precedence Research, the global health and wellness market is valued at $6.87 trillion in 2025 and is projected to reach $11 trillion by 2034. That kind of explosive growth creates room for new players, and Hyrox is sprinting straight into the spotlight. Unlike CrossFit, which varies daily and leans heavily on community boxes, Hyrox events are polished, repeatable, and scalable. They're hosted in massive arenas, backed by big sponsors, and designed to feel like legitimate sporting events. That structure has major business implications. It opens the door to media rights, merchandise, brand partnerships, and global licensing. Think Spartan Race meets Formula 1. It also gives gym owners something tangible to plug into. Hyrox has launched affiliated training programs and certifications, creating a full ecosystem that lets studios capitalize on the hype. And people are paying to suffer. Entry fees can range from $90 to over $200. Some events draw thousands of competitors in a single weekend. For a generation that's grown tired of boutique cycling classes and globo gyms, this might be the next evolution: suffering together, scoring it, and chasing personal records on a global stage. Whether it's the shirtless men or the fact it somehow makes physical torture look fun, Hyrox is the real deal. Related: The diet mistake 71% of Americans are trying to fix The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
