Ray Hadley

Ray Hadley
Ray Hadley
Born	September 27, 1954 (age 72); Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)	Radio presenter, rugby league commentator
Years active	1982–2024
Known for	Talkback radio host on 2GB; Continuous Call Team rugby league panelist

Raymond Morris Hadley (born 27 September 1954) is a former Australian talkback radio host and rugby league commentator associated with Channel Nine. He was the presenter of the weekday morning program on Sydney's 2GB and led the rugby league discussion panel known as the Continuous Call Team.

Early life

Hadley was born in 1954 and spent his early years in a housing commission residence in Dundas Valley, Sydney. Later, he lived with his grandparents on a farm near Stuart's Point, New South Wales. His entry into radio occurred while he was working as a taxi driver; after giving a lift to the news director at 2UE, he was offered casual employment. By 1982, Hadley was reporting on sports such as rugby league and horse racing.

2GB

Hadley commenced weekend rugby league broadcasting at 2GB in December 2001. Following Alan Jones’s move from 2UE to 2GB in April 2002, Hadley took over hosting the morning show.

Originally focused on local and state issues, his talkback program expanded to cover national politics. The broadcast ran from 9am to noon and was syndicated across multiple stations including Brisbane's 4BC, Canberra's 2CC, and various regional outlets in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria within the Southern Cross Austereo Triple M network.

In May 2011, Hadley achieved the status of Australia's top-rated radio host with a 20.1% audience share, a record later overtaken by Melbourne’s 3AW breakfast program in the following year.

He attracted media attention in May 2011 when he abruptly terminated a phone interview with a Seven News reporter. Additionally, he is credited with discovering Samoan country artist Sam Ah Chookoon (known as Mr Cowboy 62) in 2019.

In November 2024, Hadley declared his retirement after a distinguished 43-year career in radio. His final morning broadcast on 2GB is scheduled for 13 December 2024.

Awards

Hadley has been honoured as Best Radio Sports Broadcaster at the RAWARDS on eight occasions over eleven years and was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2002 for his contributions to rugby league and charitable causes. He earned the title of Best Current Affairs Presenter at the ACRAs in both 2006 and 2009, becoming the first individual to secure awards in both current affairs and sports commentary categories. Since beginning his career in 1987, he has amassed twenty major ACRA Radio awards. In December 2021, Hadley was inducted into the Sydney Cricket Ground Media Hall of Honour.

Television

Hadley's television career began as a sports reporter for Channel Seven before joining Channel Nine’s The Footy Show from 1994 to 1998 alongside Steve Roach. He made a guest appearance in 2005 to address issues related to fan violence. Over seventeen years, Hadley also appeared in television advertisements promoting Lowes Menswear.

In 2010, he appeared on Seven Network’s NRL-focused The Matty Johns Show. That same year, Sky News Australia signed him to host the weekly current affairs program Hadley!, but he resigned after four episodes amid reported disagreements and staff tensions.

In October 2011, Channel Nine engaged Hadley as commentator for the Rugby World Cup semi-final between Australia’s Wallabies and New Zealand’s All Blacks; however, he was not invited back for subsequent events. He returned to The Footy Show in 2012 as a panelist on Five in the Bin and provided rugby league commentary alongside Peter Sterling and Paul Vautin for Channel Nine.

Hadley served as one of Channel Nine’s primary play-by-play NRL commentators—mainly covering Thursday and Friday night matches—until his departure from this role at the close of 2018.

Australian Communications and Media Authority

Hadley has faced multiple reprimands from the ACMA due to several infringements. In 2012, he threatened a protester outside 2GB and disclosed the individual's name along with an incorrect address on air, breaching privacy rules. Later that same year, Hadley broadcast a false story claiming that schoolchildren lost their snacks because of budget cuts, and when then-Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan denied the claim, Hadley labeled him a "complete boofhead." Despite demands for a retraction, Hadley declined to comply and was found to have violated the broadcasting code, continuing to deny dishonesty during his broadcasts.

Athens Olympics

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Hadley was caught on tape using offensive language in a tirade directed at 2GB news director Justin Kelly after Hadley's event call was excluded from a news segment. He issued an apology and offered assistance to the affected parties, which they declined. This incident gained broader attention when a dance remix of his outburst was widely shared.

Suspension and reinstatement

In February 2013, Hadley was suspended from 2GB following an incident where he verbally abused an employee who recorded the confrontation. He reached out to John Singleton, a major shareholder and personal friend, demanding his return to air. Singleton overruled the station management and ended the suspension. Hadley apologized to staff members and was visibly emotional. After this suspension, his audience ratings dropped considerably. The employee subsequently filed a lawsuit against Hadley; this was resolved privately with terms undisclosed, including an agreement to suppress the recording of Hadley's outburst.

2019 bullying allegations

In March 2019, former 2GB employee Chris Bowen publicly accused the station of subjecting him to sixteen years of "severe bullying" and uncontrollable anger, later naming Ray Hadley as responsible. Another former staffer, Mark Kennedy, corroborated these allegations. Bowen claimed he had reported issues to 2GB management since 2008 but only received temporary relief by being removed from Hadley's show. Macquarie Media stated they were unaware of any prior complaints. Hadley issued an on-air apology for "any pain caused," which Bowen dismissed as "gaslighting."

Bowen’s statements led ABC Television’s 7.30 program to broadcast an investigative report featuring Bowen, ex-staff members Andrew Moore and Jesse Perez, and former advisor Imre Sulusinsky—all accusing Hadley of bullying behavior. 2GB maintained no formal complaints had been lodged by these individuals. Hadley publicly accepted responsibility for past conduct and expressed readiness to "make amends" if allegations were verified but indicated he required more information before fully responding.

Radio presenter Tim Brunero supported Perez's account by describing an episode where Perez endured a "fierce, screaming tirade" from Hadley in a soundproof studio. Brunero encouraged Perez to document the incident; however, as of 2019, no such record had been published.

Columnist Andrew Hornery recounted a 2014 episode in which Hadley mentioned Hornery’s sexual orientation on-air, which incited homophobic remarks from listeners. This followed Hornery’s attempt to report on a story involving Hadley’s ex-wife and rugby league personality Matt Parish. Hadley called Hornery "very bitchy," denying any homophobic intent despite his friendship with openly gay rugby player Ian Roberts.

In July 2019, Bowen commenced legal action against Hadley in the New South Wales District Court concerning workplace bullying claims. Hadley acknowledged receipt of the legal notice and referenced the "intense public scrutiny" surrounding the matter, reiterating his admission of previous misconduct while emphasizing that colleagues could attest to his efforts toward behavioral improvement.

Andrew Voss

In August 2011, a statue depicting rugby league commentator Ray Warren, co-sponsored by Ray Hadley's radio station 2GB and Channel 9, was officially revealed. On Channel 9's The Sunday Roast, Andrew Voss expressed criticism regarding the statue’s resemblance. In response, Hadley launched personal attacks during his radio broadcast, branding Voss a "grub" and "moron," referencing a longstanding dispute reportedly linked to a television role offered to Voss instead of Hadley nearly two decades earlier.

Subsequently, Voss pursued legal action against Hadley, culminating in a 2012 settlement that involved monetary compensation and a public apology from Hadley.

Greg Smith

In 2012, on his 2GB show, Hadley claimed that then New South Wales Attorney General Greg Smith had advised an acquaintance concerning a $1,000,000 claim related to child sexual abuse accusations. Smith responded by filing a defamation lawsuit against Hadley; the lawsuit was dismissed after Hadley agreed to refrain from further commentary on the subject.

Ray Williams

Liberal Hawkesbury MP Ray Williams initiated legal proceedings against Hadley following false allegations that Williams concealed embezzlement claims within Hills Shire dating back to 2008. Just prior to the trial, Hadley aggravated the defamation by making remarks about another MP during jury selection, which prompted a contempt of court motion. The trial was postponed and ultimately resolved confidentially in September 2014, with Hadley issuing an on-air retraction. Despite the drawn-out process, Williams expressed contentment with the resolution.

Ahmed court case

Kim Anne Ahmed sued Hadley after he publicly criticized her for supporting her husband, who faced charges of aggravated indecent assault involving a 17-year-old employee, and for obtaining an AVO against the victim's father. During a May 2008 interview, Hadley described supporters of the fish and chip shop owners as "vile" and declared that if Mr. Ahmed or his "grub of a wife" still operated their business, "they should completely and utterly be sent out of business." In December 2013, the court ordered Hadley to pay $280,000 in damages to Mrs. Ahmed, with the judge condemning the broadcast as "an unbridled tirade" originating "from the gutter."

Personal life

Hadley has two children with his former spouse Anne Marie. In 1994, he married Suzanne Kielty, with whom he had two daughters. The couple separated in late 2010, briefly reconciled before separating again in 2014. In May 2014, it emerged that Hadley had unsuccessfully attempted to have Matt Parish, assistant coach of the New South Wales 2014 State of Origin team, dismissed after Parish entered into a relationship with Suzanne.

In March 2021, Hadley wed Sophie Baird, who had served as his personal assistant for sixteen years. Baird has two children from a previous marriage.

External links