The Hughesy & Kate show was due to run for another week before taking a break and jumping ship to Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network in 2018.

However, after Friday afternoon's show the Melbourne radio presenters got a call from management informing them they wouldn't need to turn up to work the following week. Speaking to Fairfax Media, Hughes said while this could seem harsh from an outsider's perspective, it's just how the radio industry operates.

"We're going to be on air in the same slot in January on another network, so it's not [a total] goodbye from us," he said. "I can understand how the current network wouldn't want to promote our show because we're going to be bright and shiny on the Hit Network in six weeks. So there's absolutely no acrimony from us for the early sendoff."

Besides, Hughes said he and Kate had an "inkling" Friday would be their last show.

"It just means our whole team gets an extra two weeks off," he said. "The Hit Network are taking our whole team and are very excited about having us on in the regionals. I'm really looking forward to that."

Hughsey and Kate weren't the only ARN announcers to be told they'd be hanging up the headphones earlier than expected. Meshel Laurie took to Facebook to tell fans the show had been wrapped up a week early.

On Sunday she shared a screenshot of having no alarms set on her phone with the caption: "Life is good."

"It's been a deeply weird two years," the comedian and author wrote. "But our immediate team was so brilliant - they really made the daily grind survivable. I think all of us are pretty excited to embark on our new lives. Can you tell I'm stoked?"

The past few weeks have seen a massive shake-up in ARN's programming schedule, with Hughsey and Kate replaced by Perth presenters Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw. Laurie's breakfast show coming to an end, meanwhile, has paved the way for newcomers Jason Hawkins and Polly Harding