Boston radio host Fred Toucher says he hasn’t heard from his co-hosts since he took an extended leave of absence due to a serious throat issue.
On Saturday night, Toucher, who was battling a throat problem for months before taking medical leave earlier this month, posted multiple tweets about the lack of support he’s received. He says one of the show’s producers, Mike Lockhart, is the only person who’s reached out.
“Call me a wimp. But nobady [sic] on my show has reached out to me besides @Lockhart81,” he wrote. “I have reached out to [co-host] Rich [Shertenlieb] and got basically nothing back. Obviously the show is fine without me and I should start planning my future.”
Toucher, 48, tweeted April 7 that he would be undergoing throat surgery in the near future. For two months prior, Toucher was hosting his highly rated morning show with a raspy voice that sparked widespread concern.
At one point, Toucher said station management was using his voice issues against him in contract negotiations.
“No one has been like ‘You’re screwed’. No one has been like ‘Oh my god, dude, you’re like this forever,” he said on his show April 6. “However, I will say that if you’re ever negotiating a contract and have anything going on remotely sketchy, they will use that against you. Is it freaky for me? Yeah, a little bit. This is what I do for a living, and it’s a little freaky.”
Earlier Saturday, Toucher teased that he would be back to work in the near future. His Twitter spree began Saturday night when he quote-tweeted the show’s sports anchor and third wheel, Jon Wallach.
https://twitter.com/FredToucher/status/1652467155693084673
Later, Toucher said he was experiencing a “cancer scare.”
https://twitter.com/FredToucher/status/1652471201959215106
https://twitter.com/FredToucher/status/1652471504364269568
“Toucher & Rich,” which Toucher co-hosts with Rich Shertenlieb, has been a ratings juggernaut for well over a decade on Boston’s 98.5 “The Sports Hub.” It trounced WEEI’s morning offering, “The Greg Hill Show,” by nearly 20 points in the last ratings book.
On Sunday morning, Toucher responded to critics who questioned the legitimacy of his rant.
https://twitter.com/FredToucher/status/1652726551648120832
https://twitter.com/FredToucher/status/1652725334993764355
Toucher’s return date to the show hasn’t been announced.
