Andy Lee And Hamish Blake
TV and radio hosts Andy Lee (L) and Hamish Blake attend the David Jones Summer 2007 Collection launch at the Royal Hall of Fame in Sydney August 7, 2007. Reuters/Patrick Riviere

Southern Cross Austereo is trying to reclaim its ratings crown by bringing back Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. The comedy duo will take over the struggling Today Network national Drive timeslot in July, while the breakfast show of Sophie Monk, Jules Lund and Merrick Watts will conclude at the end of the year.

The 2DayFM morning show will be replaced in January by Dan Debuf anad Maz Compton, who currently host the Today Network national Drive show from 4 pm to 6 pm. With their show gone from July 2015, Lund will take over their slot for six months before Hamish and Andy take over from then.

“We’re so stoked to be jumping into the Drive slot, it’s something we’ve always wanted to do. Ever since that time we did it for five years. It’s going to be so much fun,” Hamish and Andy said in a statement, referring to their top-rating run in the network for five years until 2010.

They are launching their show in July and not sooner because they are “taking an annual break.”

“We’ve made the decision to not officially commit to another TV show next year,” Hamish told news.com.au, “but we just haven’t had a bit of time off in a very long time. Between doing radio and TV for the last few years we just wanted a bit of space and to work on a few other things that we’ve got bubbling along that may or may not amount to anything.”

The announcement came days after Sophie Monk said she is leaving the 2DayFM breakfast show she co-hosts with Lund and Watts. Months prior, Mel B also announced her departure from the radio program, which has been struggling with ratings share since its debut in January.

The show was created after Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O left the station for KIIS FM.