Alex Dyson
Alex Dyson | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 22, 1988 Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Radio broadcaster, comedian, author, entrepreneur, political candidate |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Known for | Hosting Triple J breakfast program (2010–2016), ARIA Award winner |
Alexander Edward Dyson (born 22 June 1988) is a prominent Australian radio broadcaster who led the breakfast program on the youth-oriented station Triple J between 2010 and 2016. Initially, he co-hosted alongside Tom Ballard before partnering with Matt Okine. Beyond broadcasting, Dyson is an entrepreneur and a published writer. He has campaigned for the Wannon seat in the federal elections of 2019, 2022, and 2025.
Personal life
Born in Warrnambool, Victoria, Dyson is the son of Ian and Helen Jean Dyson. His mother died when he was only four years old. He holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts degree from the University of Melbourne.
Career
Dyson’s radio journey began at Warrnambool’s community station 3WAY FM, where he worked with Tom Ballard. In 2007, after program director Chris Scaddan discovered Ballard’s stand-up performance at Raw Comedy, Dyson and Ballard started hosting mid-dawn shifts on Triple J. By late 2008, they had transitioned to weekend slots, taking over from Sam Simmons.
On 23 November 2009, Triple J revealed that Dyson and Ballard would be the new hosts of the breakfast show for 2010, succeeding presenters Robbie Buck, Marieke Hardy, and Lindsay McDougall. When Ballard left in January 2014, Matt Okine joined Dyson as co-host. Their program attracted an audience reaching up to one million listeners and featured interviews with rising Australian artists, politicians such as Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and international figures including Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 2013, Dyson and Ballard earned the ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release with their album The Bits we’re least ashamed of, which compiled highlights from their radio broadcast.
Triple J announced on 21 November 2016 that both Okine and Dyson would depart at the end of that year. Dyson made a brief return in 2018 as host of the Lunch slot while Gen Fricker covered Drive.
In 2019, Dyson stood as a candidate for Wannon in the 2019 Australian federal election, launching a short campaign notable for a viral video that conveyed his policies through interpretive dance. This creative approach attracted widespread media coverage both nationally and internationally. Despite running a limited campaign, he achieved 10.3% of the vote in what has traditionally been a safe seat for the Coalition.
During early 2020, amid the global COVID-19 crisis, Dyson established Comedy Republic, a live comedy venue.
As an author, Dyson has published two books: the young adult novel When it Drops (2020), which was listed as notable by the Children’s Book Council of Australia in 2021, and a children’s book titled Eric the Awkward Orc (2022).
On 7 January 2022, he declared his candidacy again for Wannon in the 2022 Australian federal election, focusing his campaign on climate change action, parliamentary transparency, and boosting regional economic growth. Backed by grassroots organisation Voices of Wannon—part of a broader national movement supporting independent candidates—Dyson narrowly missed victory to incumbent Dan Tehan, securing 19.29% of first preference votes and achieving 46.08% in the two-candidate-preferred tally.
In August 2024, Dyson announced his intention to contest Wannon once more as an independent in the upcoming 2025 Australian federal election. He garnered 31.38% of first preference votes, drawing mainly from Labor and Greens supporters; however, after preferences were distributed, he fell short by 3.27%.
Albums
| Album Title | Release Information |
|---|---|
| The Bits We're Least Ashamed of (in collaboration with Tom Ballard) |
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| Play It Out (with Matt Okine) |
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ARIA Music Awards
Since 1987, the ARIA Music Awards have been held annually by the Australian Recording Industry Association to honor outstanding achievements and creativity within the Australian music industry.
! Reference |- | 2013 | The Bits We're Least Ashamed of (with Tom Ballard) | rowspan="2"| Best Comedy Release | |- | 2016 | Play It Out (with Matt Okine) | |-