Veitch has few friends at work

Tony Veitch. Photo / Supplied

Tony Veitch will be back full time on radio soon, but his work colleagues are not happy about it - Radio Sport is having to hire a new producer because no one wants to work with the controversial broadcaster.

It was announced this week that Veitch had been re-hired to take his old position as host of the station's breakfast show - a position he held before his career went off the rails in 2008 after details of an assault on his former partner went public.

The move has sparked plenty of controversy, with none of the station's regular producers willing to work with Veitch. Inside sources say this is because of his attitude and arrogance, rather than his court conviction.

Dallas Gurney, The Radio Network's general manager of talk programming, confirmed current breakfast producer Goran Paladin would shift to the drive-time show alongside host D'Arcy Waldegrave, who is also moving from breakfast to allow Veitch back in. However, he refused to comment on whether there were personal reasons Paladin did not want to work with Veitch. Paladin used to produce for Veitch.

But a station insider said Veitch was so unpopular that management did not have any choice but to hire an outside producer to work with him.

"They can't have anyone working with Tony that is currently there - they have to go outside to employ because no one wants to work with him," said the insider, whom the Herald on Sunday agreed not to name.

"I have never worked in a place that feels as bad as it does when just one person is given a job.

"Most of the staff he works with find it a little sickening. It doesn't come from bitterness or anger, but they just find it astounding," said the source.

Other sources at the station claim Veitch was overheard in a studio saying that he had been offered $135,000 to have his old job back - down from the $170,000 he was paid at his peak.

On the producing issue, Gurney said Radio Sport would be adding to the ranks of its producers in the future, and he would be sitting down with Veitch when he returned from holiday next week.

He said Paladin would be shifted because he "worked well" with Waldegrave in the past.

When asked if Radio Sport had received any negative feedback about Veitch's reinstatement, Gurney said: "There has been no response that I am concerned about." The Herald on Sunday understands email and text feedback late last week to the station was heavily against the reappointment.

Radio Sport took Veitch back on board in January, where he has been hosting the hour-long Sport Re-Loaded highlights show on week nights.

Veitch's return to his full-time job means Waldegrave, who currently co-hosts breakfast with former Black Cap Mark Richardson, has to move to the afternoon drive-time programme.

Matt Gunn, who previously hosted that slot, resigned in August.

Richardson, who hosts Sky TV's The Crowd Goes Wild, will remain at the station on a part-time basis, allowing him to concentrate on his TV commitments.

Veitch did not return Herald on Sunday phone calls this week and his former partner Kristin Dunne-Powell did not want to make any comment.