Comedian Frank Skinner left his listeners stunned this past weekend when he announced he was leaving his role at Absolute Radio after 15 years with the station.
Skinner, 67, claimed he had been “sacked" by the network, which has since led to accusations of “ageism” towards the radio channel from listeners.
Speaking on Saturday, Skinner told fans his breakfast show would be wrapping up for good, candidly stating: “I'm not going to pretend I took it well.”
He claimed that he, along with co-hosts Emily Dean and Pierre Novellie, had been “sacked” by the station.
The presenter’s final radio show will be broadcast in May when his current contract ends after he was told it wasn't being renewed despite his show running since 2009.
The Three Lions singer’s exit clearly came as a surprise to him as he went on to admit to loyal listeners: "I don’t want to go."
Skinner has been fronting his Absolute Radio show for 15 years
ITV
It didn’t take long for both fans and other famous faces to hit out at the decision, with some reports drawing parallels to Ken Bruce’s BBC Radio 2 exit.
The Telegraph's Tristram Fane Saunders even branded the decision "absurdly ageist" as he unleashed a blistering column about the decision.
Comedian and Skinner's pal David Baddiel took to X to comment on the axe, writing: “Frank Skinner's show on Absolute is brilliant and the decision not to renew it can only have been made by an Absolute t***.”
Skinner’s listeners also made their feelings clear, with one adding: “Just reading an article about frank skinner being sacked from @absoluteradio. I for one will not forgive them. He’s the best. I’ll defect to whichever station he goes to. You’ll lose so many listeners, think again and reinstate them.”
The comedian admitted he 'didn't want to go'
Getty
“Getting rid of all the best people. Out of order,” another person penned on the social media site before a third shared: “Wait. Frank Skinner had been dropped from Absolute Radio??”
“Shocking news about Absolute canceling Frank Skinner’s Radio show,” a fourth added.
Some even threatened to boycott the station, with someone else commenting: “No more listening to @absoluteradio. Frank Skinner was my favourite show of the week. Wherever Frank goes, I will go. Cya Absolute! #frankskinner #Absoluteradio.”
“Me too, as will thousands of others,” a sixth responded before a fellow listener wrote: “I’m gutted.” (sic)
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Skinner explained he had been 'sacked' by the station, which led to accusations of ageism
Getty
In his announcement over the weekend, Skinner explained: “My manager [called]… you know every year, about this time, we've just celebrated our 15th anniversary on the show, so obviously that means the new contract is coming, and every year I do self-deprecating jokes about the fact that we probably won't get it renewed.
“Guess what? Yeah, we didn't! So, um, we're not just going now, I'm not going to say bye and that's the end we've got, like, several other… We've got some notice to serve, but yeah, that was… That's it!”
He went on to say: “We had a good run but I realise that in recent times I am ever more becoming Grandad from The Simpsons, but even so - I'm not going to pretend I took it well.
“I took it well in that we've had 15 years and Absolute have actually been very, very good to us in those 15 years but I didn't take it well.”
GB News has contacted Absolute Radio for a comment.