KIIS FM’s new hosts for Melbourne breakfast have made a memorable start to their show, but not for the right reasons, it appears.

Jase Hawkins and PJ Harding kicked off their first show on KIIS 101.1 yesterday morning, with the help of Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw – the new national drive hosts for KIIS FM.

McMahon and Whitelaw turned up wearing KIIS merchandise – only it was that of recently axed Melbourne brekkie hosts Matt Tilley and Meshel Laurie.

KIIS 101.1 then posted a photo on its Instagram and Facebook pages of the duo wearing the Matt & Meshel T-shirts, posing together with Hawkins and Harding holding Matt & Meshel mugs.

But the stunt backfired, with the posts – which have now been deleted – drawing a number of negative comments from the public, who described it as “pathetic”, “disrespectful” and “super tacky”.

Even Laurie made her feelings known about the stunt via Instagram:

We never had t shirts or mugs, or any merch at all, so they’ve made these especially for a fake stunt. Sad. Please don’t use my name and face for cheesy radio stunts guys. @kiis1011

A post shared by Meshel Laurie (@meshel_laurie) on Jan 7, 2018 at 5:43pm PST

B&T has contacted KIIS FM for comment.