James Valentine returned to Sydney’s Radio 702 breakfast spot this morning, replacing the departed Angela Catterns. It’s his second go at breakfast, other from filling in, after he was tried several years ago but copped a bit of canning for his flippant style.

Valentine will fill in while 702 management rotates a number of one-off announcers through the various time slots in a sort of “meat market” dance card approach in the upcoming non-ratings period which coincides with the school holidays in NSW.

Sally Loane, the one 702 announcer Crikey readers in Sydney don’t much like, takes a break and listeners should be alert, but not alarmed at her replacement: former 2SM, 2UE and Today show host, Steve Liebmann. He fills in for a week and will be followed by another Nine Networker and former ABCer, Ellen Fanning.

Sky News reader, Christine Kininmonth will fill in for James Valentine in the afternoons and Wendy Harmer will sub for Richard Glover in Drive. Valentine remains the favourite for the brekkie shift, which attracts around 456,000 people on average Monday to Friday. That’s more than watch the top rating Seven Network’s Sunrise program.