Nova’s national creative guru Simon Kennedy is to leave the network and focus on his stand-up comedy career.

Kennedy has been the source of much of the station’s irreverent sound for the past six years, starting as an on air host with Nova 96.9 on “The Show With No Name”, and eventually expanding to a group imaging role.

He also was known on air as Bevan the Work Experience Announcer, the only voice on Brisbane’s Nova 106.9 before it officially launched.

The news of Kennedy’s departure comes in a difficult week for the Nova brand following the axing of Matthew Newton from drive without uttering a single word on air.

Co-presenter Akmal Saleh will continue in his hosting role, whilst Nova executives are searching for a replacement for Matt Newton to team up with the Sydney comedian, in order to keep the show balanced, especially for the parochial Melbourne market.

An announcement on that appointment is expected sooner, rather than later considering the importance the network has placed on creating a successful drive show in 2007.