Sri Lankan station YES 101 FM’s popular host DJ Shaq is leaving after 16 years of hosting the morning show.
YES 101 is owned by The Capital Maharaja Group and plays contemporary English hit music.
Shaq, whose real name is Riyaz Shah Jahan, is one of the most renowned voices on the country’s airwaves.
He also doubled up as the Channel Head for YES FM and the host of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ on Maharaja Television.
DJs Dominic Keller and Asanka Sahabandu, the current hosts of YES 101 Evenings will present the new breakfast show, which will now be called ‘The Morning Fix with D & A’.
The station dedicated a whole week to bid farewell to Shaq, who hosted his last show on Thursday, and soon hashtag #shaqweek was trending on Twitter, with messages from listeners bidding him farewell and sharing memories of listening to him over the years.
Commenting on taking over the morning show, DJ Asanka said: “It’s a privilege to be taking over the most celebrated morning show on Sri Lankan Radio and we’d like to thank him for keeping the show running for the longest time.”
He also tweeted: “Heard @ShaqAtaq on the radio when I was a 15 year old never thought I’d get the chance to work with him.”
DJ Dominic added: “It’s a true privilege and we’ll fill in those huge shoes that Shaq has left behind.”