Longtime 105.7 WAPL Appleton/Green Bay WI co-host Rick McNeal is stepping down from the morning show at the Woodward Communications Classic Rocker after being off-the-air with health issues for the past few months.
McNeal has been with WAPL since 1985, mostly partnered with Len Nelson from 1985 until 1999 and 2003 until Nelson’s firing in March 2021. He has been with Andrew ‘Cutter’ Puyleart since April 2021.
McNeal had been off the air since March when a fall led to a hospitalization and developing a bacterial infection. He called into the morning show this morning to announce his departure, although if heath allows he will make guest appearances.
WAPL had already begun the search for Cutter’s new co-host.
McNeal and the station shared the following message:
Hey folks, it’s with heavy hearts that we announce some tough news. We had exciting plans to celebrate Rick’s retirement and honor his remarkable 39-year career of entertaining Northeast Wisconsin at WAPL.
Unfortunately, due to his ongoing health issues following the WAPL International Incident in early March, Rick is now stepping away.
As a result, we’re now faced with moving forward without him as we start the search for a new co-host to join Cutter in the morning. It’s a tough spot all around, no doubt about it. Sucks for him, sucks for you, sucks for us.
If Rick is feeling up to it, he may return as a guest in the future.
Let’s come together to send Rick our best wishes and gear up to welcome a new voice to the team. Stay tuned for updates on his upcoming benefit event.
– Rick McNeal and WAPL
Feel free to send cards or correspondence to:
WAPL-FM
c/o Rick McNeal
PO Box 1519
Appleton, WI 54912
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com