Long-serving radio personalities Polly Gillespie and Grant Kereama have refused to extend their contract with NZME radio station The Hits.
The duo have had a frosty relationship with the station's management since being dropped from their Auckland breakfast show in favour of TVNZ broadcasters Sam Wallace and Toni Street, and have now officially cut their ties with the company.
After being removed from that timeslot in December last year, Gillespie had criticised the "spin" NZME put on the subsequent press release, and commented that "apparently in Auckland you need TV people on the radio" in a video she posted on Facebook.
That made the relationship even worse - but the moment it appeared to be beyond repair came about at the start of February, when Gillespie took to social media to talk about contract disputes she'd been having with NZME.
In that video, Gillespie said she'd been "offered a very generous and lucrative contract to stay in her job", but that it would mean she'd face restrictions on what she posted on social media.
"Sometimes you have to make the right decisions morally and for your insides. I want to be on the radio and I want to be on social media being honest," she said, with her public disapproval of the contract resulting in her being taken off air for two days.
And now it appears the contract talks between Gillespie and Kereama and NZME have completely stalled, with the former announcing that she and her ex-husband would be looking for opportunities elsewhere.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Gillespie said she and Kereama "have not retired from radio or broadcasting at all", and said while they're part of NZME's history, they remain "very present and part of the future of broadcasting in this country".
"We're not fading away," she wrote.
"We have been through a fire and come out a little singed but strengthened by the process of baking in the kiln of ferocious flames. We're tough and we're not going anywhere just yet."
Gillespie went on to say that they would "spring up somewhere for sure", and have a chemistry that "was dented for a while but not destroyed by divorce or deception".
She also hinted she would open up further on the poor relationship she and Grant had had with The Hits.
"One day I'll tell you everything maybe, but it would almost be too hard to believe. True stories are like that though right?"
Gillespie and Kereama have been on air for more than 25 years together, hosting the ZM breakfast show for 23 of those. They were married, but separated last year - confirming it during a live broadcast.
Gillespie's full Facebook post can be viewed here.
Newshub.
