Johannesburg-based commercial radio station HOT 102.7FM has wished program manager Tony Murrell a speedy recovery after the host of The Big Joburg Drive suffered a heart attack in Johannesburg on Sunday, 15 October.

The station says that Murrell is a veteran of the South African radio industry and has held the position of program manager at HOT 102.7FM since the station’s launch in July of 2021.

“It was obviously a shock to us all here at HOT 102.7FM, but Murrell is in good medical hands, and the focus now is on his recovery and ensuring his health remains a priority,” says Lloyd Madurai, managing director of HOT 102.7FM.

“He will obviously now spend some time away from the station, but he has our full support as he recuperates, and we look forward to having him back at HOT 102.7FM at some time in the future once he is fully recovered,” Madurai adds.

Murrell’s career spans 40 years, during which time he has significantly contributed to radio in South Africa, including overseeing the HOT Radio Academy more recently. At the same time, he’s also held prominent on-air roles at HOT 102FM since the station’s launch.

He currently anchors The Big Joburg Drive in the afternoon but was previously the host of Joburg’s Hottest Breakfast Show, for which he was recently nominated in the Best Breakfast Presenter category for the 2023 SA Radio Awards in the commercial radio station section.

“Murrell is an incredibly important member of the HOT 102.7FM team and my right-hand man, playing a hugely important part in the sound of the station,” concludes Madurai. “But, while we obviously would love to have him back at the station, the focus now must be on his recuperation and the support we can offer Kym, his wife.”

In the interim, Patrick Hayworth, the current host of HOT 102.7FM’s weekend breakfast show, will stand in for Murrell on The Big Joburg Drive alongside existing team members Tara Penny and Dylan Rogers.