The word is strong that big money has just been accepted by the ABC’s Angela Catterns – the second most popular personality on Sydney breakfast radio behind Alan Jones with about 9.5-10.5% of the audience – to jump ship and join the new FM adult talk station being fired up by UK-owned Nova.

Catterns failed to front for her shift on Tuesday morning on ABC’s Radio 702, prompting speculation at the ABC that she was involved in tricky talks with 702 boss, Roger Summerill. ABC sources say the salary is around half a million bucks – double her existing pay. Not in the class of Gloria on 2GB, but certainly not to be sneezed at.

There’s also talk that Nova has signed Rebecca Wilson and Tony Squires to do mornings on the new station that’s due to start broadcasting in August.