Dave Wheeler has revealed he is parting ways with Evanov Communications’ Energy 106 (CHWE-FM) Winnipeg, where he’s co-hosted the morning show since the fall of 2020.
Wheeler announced over the weekend on his recently-rebranded weekly podcast, The Dave & Candace Rae Show, which he hosts alongside his wife – bikini athlete and former Playboy model Candace Rae – that he’ll be hanging up his microphone in Winnipeg on July 30 of next year.
“At the end of summer 2027, that will be the end of our time in Winnipeg,” Wheeler told listeners. “I will be hanging up my microphone as far as morning radio in Winnipeg goes…July 30, 2027 will be my last broadcast day on morning radio on Winnipeg.”
“I am not going to another radio station,” he continued. “I am very honoured and proud to say that after what is just shy of 25 years in radio in Winnipeg and just shy of 30 years in the industry altogether, that I am very excited to take a back seat and be a support system for Candace Rae who is going to be stepping into the spotlight with some amazing opportunities that are going to take us out of the province.”
“I’m really excited for people to see you reach your full potential and thank you for taking a backseat to my career for the past 14 years…,” Wheeler told his wife.
“We’ve finally made the decision to take our lives back into our hands and make decisions based on our happiness, rather than survival,” he added, going on to say that since his “very public” firing from Rogers Sports & Media’s 92 CITI FM in 2018 following controversial remarks on-air about transgender people, that he had worn the incident around his neck “like cryptonite.”
“As much as I’ve tried to move past it…And it’s not the reason we’re leaving, but I am looking forward to starting with a blank sheet..not even on the air, just in life. I’m looking forward to having that opportunity and being able to leave that here in Winnipeg,” he continued. “I really don’t want that to be the thing that Dave Wheeler is remembered for…”
Wheeler filled morning show listeners in on his pending departure on Monday morning’s show, revealing that he was actually planning a run for mayor, prior to the opportunity for his wife coming up.
Evanov revived Wheeler’s career in late August of 2020, following a two-year hiatus after his firing from the highly-rated Wheeler in the Morning.
Initially paired with Tyler Carr and Jasmin Laine, Energy hired Wheeler in the face of significant backlash. At the time, Program Director Adam West asserted that Wheeler “was the right person to anchor our team,” adding that he had “worked hard” to put his controversial past behind him.
West, now Content and Operations Manager for Evanov Communications in Winnipeg, said in an email to Broadcast Dialogue on Monday morning, that the company fully supports Wheeler’s decision.
“Dave has made an enormous contribution to Winnipeg radio and to Energy 106,” said West. “Over the next year, we look forward to celebrating his accomplishments and the impact he has had on our station, our listeners and the community.”
“We are actively beginning the search for a new morning show co-host to join Tyler Carr. With Dave remaining with the show through next July, we have the opportunity to conduct a thoughtful search and find the right person for Tyler and for the future of Energy 106 mornings.”
Prior to Energy 106 and 92 CITI FM, Wheeler was a host on Power 97 (CJKR-FM) Winnipeg and 106.1 The Goat (CKLM-FM) Lloydminster.
