Just as Montrealers are enjoying their Labour Day weekend and local media are preparing for the fall season, The Beat rebranded its morning show, erasing host Nikki Balch out of existence.
Nikki, who has been with the station since 2016, and had been at Virgin Radio a few years before that, hasn’t posted anything publicly, nor have her now-former colleagues that I could find.
The station has replaced her with Claudia Marques on the renamed “The Morning Show”. She moves to mornings after co-hosting the afternoon drive show. Mark Bergman and Stuntman Sam remain on the morning team, and Kim Kieran gets officially added to the brand.
The move comes just days after the on-air staff, including Balch, posed for a new set of photos.
I stopped listening to the beat after Nikki was gone not the same show she’s the one who made the show!
You’re doing great Claudia!!
Unlike some of these comments here
I think you are perfect for a morning show
You are not OVER excited and you don’t constantly attack your radio partner which had become way out of line….
Keep up the great work Claudia :)
yes she is perfect all she talks about Noah, her husband Jason and herself
I love the morning show but I really miss Nikki. Her and Sam together are like brother and sisters. They are funny and real. Don’t get me wrong I like Donna but Sam and Nikki are the best.
Nikki is the heart of the mornings. Other guys are doing fine, but Nikki was the best. Her cmments, her jokes, I ll be where she is. Keep going Nikki ! :)
Ok been some time now need to have nikki back on the radio
We you at
Where is Nikki?????
I love Claudia but she’s great on the drive home. Good team with Cats.
The morning drive / show is just not the same without Nikki. She’s out & so am I. I’m switching morning show. I guess I’ll listen to Vinny. Maybe she’ll end up with him
92.5 is lost without Nikki. She made the show! Her combination with Sam was unbeatable!
Love to hear Claudia , Sam & Mark every morning
Seems like a great trio! Great dynamic !
feels more like a TEAM :)
WTH is wrong with management at The Beat. First Sarah Bartok and then Nikki!!! Both of them were shining stars. Reason I don’t listen anymore.
There is nobody like Nikki! She made the show. Please bring her back. It’s just not the same without her?
I hate listening to Claudia. They needed to rebrand but Claudia is definitely not the answer. Between Claudia and Donna, I no longer listen
I am not crazy about Claudia either
Much better without Nikki. She always hogged the show. I enjoy much more now!
Honesty hurts but Nikki is a toxic feminist and needed to leave. You’ve gained a listener 92.5.
I agree. She was not my favorite and I just learned she wasn’t coming back – I stopped listening at the beginning of last year – hated the way she spoke to Sam. Now I am back.
But do we know what happened why Nikki wont speak up???
Yes i do miss Nikki and i also stopped listening morning show, Claudia and Nikki are 2 strong women, Claudia better works with Cat in the afternoon and Nikki morning but sometimes Claudia do the show with Cat in the afternoon but in the morning i do not listen anymore i will like to listen Nikki again in the morning weekdays like before but to sad so now I play 88.5 FM , no more The beat.
New Year & STILL missing Nikki … She gave me & my husband that extra energy in the morning on our drive in to work. Everything seemed real with her & she seemed that she took the time out for interesting topics. Now the Current Good Morning Show is ok, but some of the topics just seems so random & picked out of a hat that sparks no interest.
This is the best thing the Beat has done! I am a re-brand listener. I had to stop listening because of Nikki at the beginning of last year. The tone she used on air with Sam made my skin crawl. And it honestly sounded like she whining most of the time when no one agreed with her. Sam is set in his ways however, he never ever spoke to Nikki in the same manner. Well I am back!!! And loving it now.
Nicky was the rock of the morning show. No offense to Claudia but I think the shoes are too big for her. Tired of listening how much she loves her family.
I personally don’t like Claudia at all.
The show is not the same, I don’t enjoy it much anymore and opt out most mornings.
I knew Niki would be axed eventually. She OVER took the show. Seemed that only her opinion mattered. Maybe, like Joe Rogen, she should have her own podcast.
Claudia may talk about here fam a little too much, but this sounds like a well, equally, rounded team.
I have switched to Virgin radio. Haven’t missed Q92.5. Happy I made the switch. U should too.
I found her a bit annoying and had switched to Virgin when Vinny left, but I thought I was the only one who disliked her. I see that she has switched to another station, good for her.
I stopped listening to Beat 92.5 because of the nature of the morning show long ago. It was loud and immature. With tones of aggression and misogyny. And Nikki had no issue sending combative texts to listeners. Not what we need in the morning. Had I known the show had changed, I would have returned months ago.
Nikki Balch was great, Cousin Vinny was great. But I have to agree with this corporate decision. It might all be about chemistry and personal stuff. Cousin Vinny is still great on the other station with Shannon, they make a good team, and Cousin Vinny Vinny seems happy there…he even impregnated his wife several more times and expanded his family. Nikki has gone AWOL to most likely mend her personal life, so good luck to her. Claudia Marquez is the best out of the females. This one’s a no-brainer. She might be the only one left that seems genuine and would likely sit down and have a coffee with you in real life. Sam is funny and I like his sense of humor, especially Are You Smarter Than….where his trash-talking has become his signature. The game is rigged because most of the callers are idiots for some strange reason. Mark is ok. Meghan Kelly is ok. Cat is good but needs a Claudia to compliment his weird sense of humor. The rest of the team are throw-aways.