Courtesy the Toronto Star

(September 14, 2010) And the winner of the kewpie doll for the FAN 590's morning show is ... Andrew Krystal. Yup, the man brought in from Halifax as host of 9 a.m. to noon is instead going to carry the can from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. for the Toronto all-sports station starting Sept. 20. The FAN has been scrambling to have someone in place in time for the crucial fall ratings period after potential hosts such as Mike Richards and George Stroumboulopoulos said nyet to the job. The position has been vacant since new program director Don Kollins removed Don Landry and Gord Stellick last spring.

Sources tell Usual Suspects that shifting Krystal into the morning drive slot is also a major savings from the amounts being paid to the former hosts. To replace Krystal in the morning slot, sources say Eric Smith, the former afternoon host and Raptors broadcaster, is going to host around his NBA duties. Globe and Mail columnist Jeff Blair, who's filled in for Bob McCown this summer, could also see some time here.

Current afternoon host Greg Brady was host of morning drive in Detroit radio for five years but was apparently not considered for the post. “I support Andrew 100 per cent,” Brady said in an e-mail. “He's my teammate. I have his back and he has mine. I was hired to bring stability to the time slot I'm in. That's the plan. I'd love to do mornings again when the time is right, I loved my six years of morning drive in Detroit. I know how to win in that time slot, regardless of the city.” Requests for comment from Kollins and Krystal were not answered at press time.