Carrie Bickmore is reportedly being lined up to take over KIIS Network’s national Drive slot, after ARN confirmed “Will & Woody” will wrap up at the end of 2026.
Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw will wrap up their long-running Drive show at the end of the year, with ARN announcing plans for a “refreshed approach to national Drive in 2027” as part of a broader overhaul of the KIIS Network lineup.
According to Mediaweek, Bickmore is tipped to leave Southern Cross Austereo and her current Hit Network Drive show with Tommy Little to make the move to ARN. Multiple sources told the publication that Bickmore is being lined up for the national slot, although it remains unclear whether she would host the program solo or be joined by Little.
Neither ARN nor SCA has confirmed the reported move.
“We are devastated we won’t be continuing to do what we truly love next year and will sorely miss hearing the stories of everyone who contributed to the show,” McMahon and Whitelaw said in a statement. “It was always the listeners who made the show, so we are deeply thankful to you all. We are also incredibly grateful to ARN for allowing us to live out our dream for the last eight years … guess we’ll now have to finally figure out how to make LinkedIn profiles.”
The duo have been part of ARN for eight years, establishing “Will & Woody” as one of the KIIS Network’s major national programs across radio, podcasts, digital content and live events. They will remain on air until the end of the year.
ARN chief content officer Kerri Elstub thanked the pair for their contribution to the network. “Will & Woody have been an important part of the KIIS family for the past eight years and have made a huge contribution to the network. They’ve brought their own unique energy, humour and personality to KIIS and we thank them for everything they’ve given the network over the years,” she said.
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“We wish Will & Woody all the very best for the future and look forward to seeing what they do next. In the meantime, they still have plenty of great radio ahead of them before the end of the year, and we look forward to celebrating their contribution and giving them the send-off they deserve.”
Bickmore’s potential move would also leave a major vacancy at SCA. She and Little currently front “Carrie & Tommy” nationally across the Hit Network, while Little’s plans beyond 2026 remain unclear. Mediaweek reported it had not established whether he would remain with SCA, potentially follow Bickmore to ARN or pursue another opportunity.
The changes come during a significant programming reset at ARN. The company is also preparing to launch separate KIIS breakfast programs in Sydney and Melbourne, following the end of “The Kyle & Jackie O Show” on the network.
ARN CEO Michael Stephenson said last month the company had spent six months developing the new breakfast programs and was close to finalising talent agreements for both markets, with the shows expected to launch this year.