Morning DJs say farewell next month

Thousands of Tauranga residents wake up to their voices every morning but More FM breakfast duo Vinnie and Kirt will be no longer from next month.

Vinnie Aston and Kirt Richards will be signing off after nearly four years on air together.

Kirt will be leaving for a sales role at the radio station while Vinnie leaves with no set plans. Their last day on air will be December 21.

``It's funny because we are used to it now but we've had lots of sad responses,'' Kirt says.

Vinnie said that's why the pair have taken so long to announce it.

``In some ways you don't want the backlash, you don't want the phone calls,'' he says.

But the announcers, who have known each other for more than 20 years, said they were grateful to their loyal listeners _ even if the show required waking at 4.10am every work day.

Kirt said although she had become a pro at getting ready and out the door within five minutes, the early starts were not the toughest part of the job as everyone appeared to think.

``It's the energy. The energy you need is huge. That's the hardest thing. By the end of the day you feel like a half-sucked lolly.''

Kirt said the role had also been tough on her family life.

``Apart from the first day of school. I've never taken my son (5) to school. He's feeling it. I don't want to get old and have regrets,'' she says.

``I also don't want to talk about the Kardashians when I'm 50.''

Vinnie said he resigned because he preferred not to continue without his radio partner.

``If she wasn't going, I wouldn't be going. That's no fault of hers.''

Vinnie said he felt scared and excited but would miss their listeners, ``the punters''.

``Most of all I'm going to miss going to work with my mate every day.''

Vinnie said he did not want to leave Tauranga if he could help it but he would go where the work was.
``It's an opportunity to see what's out there, see if I'm good at anything else.''

More FM were still looking for Vinnie and Kirt's replacements.

Vinnie said there had been some ``interesting'' applicants, including some from television.