OUR RADIO SHACK
Gold Coast funny man Dan Anstey says between balancing his young family and burgeoning broadcasting work, his routine with wife Clare is “organised chaos”
SEA FM’S leading man Dan Anstey is without doubt at the top of his game professionally, but it is his newly appointed role as father-of-two that he counts as his greatest accomplishment. Amid all the career success - co-hosting Gold Coast’s number one breakfast radio show, emceeing the nation’s biggest sporting events and now stepping into a guest role as Today’s weekend weather reporter for the holidays - he says nothing beats being a dad to daughter Halle, 2, and three-month-old baby boy Augie.
Mr Anstey and wife Clare welcomed Augie onaugust 31, ten days past his due date - but just in the nick of time to name the three-month-old in honour of his birth month.
“I was watching the clock and thinking he needs to get a move on otherwise we’ll have to name him September,” Mr Anstey laughed, describing their new routine as “organised chaos”.
“It would all fall apart without Duff (Clare), she hasn’t missed a beat.”
Mrs Anstey - a successful career woman in her own right - has taken little time off after giving birth, with the in-demand stylist regularly enlisted to dress the city’s biggest names.
“You have to be so organised with two kids, we literally go through each other’s calendar to check what we’ve got on for the week. Some days we’re handing off the kids and one of us is racing out the door with seconds to spare,” Mr Anstey, who celebrates his 37th birthday on Sunday, explained.
Clare, a Perth native, adds: “We don’t have our parents around, Dan’s are in Sunshine Coast so it’s not like we can just hand them off to their grandparents.”
The pair, who first met at Melbourne’s Portsea Polo after his now-wife suggested their respective groups indulge in a game of spin the bottle, have been by each other’s side ever since: “It was super out of character for me to do, but I was a bit boozy and I thought let’s have some fun,” Mrs Anstey joked. “It wasn’t love at first sight.”
Laughing as they recalled the moment, Mr Anstey admitted the stunning brunette had already caught his eye: “I actually said to my mates earlier that I had dibs on her.”
At the time the pair - who married in 2018 and welcomed Halle the following year - were each chasing their dreams in Victoria. Mr Anstey had relocated down south from Brisbane after landing a position at Fox FM alongside Fifi Box.
It was in 2016 that he took the reigns as Gold Coast Sea FM’S breakfast radio co-host alongside Ben Hannant and the now departed Heather Maltman. He remains there today.
The funnyman now emcees games for the Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Heat, as well as regularly appearing on Network Ten’s The Project. Some major professional goals were recently ticked off, hosting recent NRL and AFL grandfinals as well as Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Announcement in July.
“I have imposter syndrome all the time, I’m just waiting to get tapped on the shoulder and get told that I’m not meant to be here,” a humble Mr Anstey said, touching on his decision to leave behind a career as an electrical engineer to try his luck in the entertainment world.
“I’ve always looked up to (Australian comedian) Marty Sheergold and to have now worked with him and be able to call him every so often for advice, I still can’t quite believe that.
“I still think that one day this could all wind up and I’ll be back to my 9-5.
“I’ve had a lot of people tell me not to do it in the past but I always had the bigger picture in my head.
“My parents always believed in me but they were a little bit weirded out when I left behind my electrical engineering career to hand out promotional gear at a radio station. My dad still calls this my gap career.”
A testament to both he and the Sea FM team’s efforts came earlier this month when Bianca, Dan and Ben were announced as Gold Coast’s number one breakfast radio show – something he hopes will one day broadcast nationally.
“I think listeners relate so well to us because we’re so honest. Ben and I might withhold things at a time when we think it’s not going to add, but Bianca (Dye) has no filter and people absolutely love that,” Mr Anstey said, his trademark quick wit shining through.
Though his television career has proved just as fruitful, the proud self-confessed “daggy dad” whose affinity for boards shorts is clear, admits his heart lay with the off-the-cuff spirit of radio.
“You need to be willing to do things that other people aren’t: Work longer hours, be positive, be driven.
“If someone doesn’t want to do something then you do it,” Mr Anstey said.
“I don’t think I’m necessarily that talented but I go the extra mile with that effort.”
Though an often unpredictable industry that could take them anywhere, the couple agree the Gold Coast will always hold a special place in their hearts: “We got married here, I had my bucks here, bought our house, had both our kids here. Gold Coast is home,” he said.
I have imposter syndrome all the time, I’m just waiting to get tapped on the shoulder and get told that I’m not meant to be here