OF SUCCESS
Host and anchor of one of Australia’s most popular radio shows, born and bred Tasmanian Rohan Edwards, says he’s so grateful his ‘arranged marriage’ with co-host Abbie Chatfield has worked out so well and they’ve really hit it off, writes
When a teenage Rohan Edwards enrolled in year 11 at Launceston College he had no real career aspirations. “I had no interest in doing maths or English,’’ the now 30-year-old recalls.
But fortunately the college had its own radio studio, and presenting on-air sounded like far more fun than penning essays or solving quadratic equations.
So Edwards signed himself up.
“I did a lot of theatre, a lot of drama,’’ Edwards says.
“My old man was a drama teacher. And he said ‘you’re not going to be an actor’.
“So I thought ‘hey, maybe talking into a microphone could be very easy and a lot of fun’.
“And it was. I was just kind of drawn to it, from the moment I gave it a go.’’
He had no idea he’d go on to forge a career as a successful national radio host, captivating listeners from across Australia weeknights from 7pm-9pm on the Hit Network as co-host of the hugely popular Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield show.
No topic is taboo for Edwards and Chatfield, as they play the latest chart-topping songs, chat to celebrity guests and share their quick wit and outspoken opinions on everything from sex and body image to entertainment and politics.
Chatfield is relatively new to radio – she first hit the airwaves in March 2020 when she launched her podcast It’s A Lot, following her appearance as the runner-up on reality TV series The Bachelor in 2019. The 27-year-old influencer and entrepreneur also went on to star in – and win – I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of
Here! early last year, before landing her current radio gig at the start of this year.
Edwards landed the co-hosting gig after following quite a different path and says he still can’t believe that the boy from Tassie who wasn’t a huge fan of school is now anchoring one of the most listened-to radio shows in Australia.
Edwards spent his childhood in Launceston, where his parents still live on a 3ha farm at Trevallyn.
He attended Trevallyn Primary School and Riverside High School and despite loving radio at Launceston College in years 11 and 12, he left school a little disheartened.
“That love for radio, that specific craft, started when I was probably 16 at Launceston College,’’ he explains.