EXCLUSIVE
The Seven information boss accountable for sacking long-serving presenter Sharyn Ghidella over the telephone whereas she was on the hairdressers has resigned from the community.
Michael Coombes emailed colleagues on Friday to tell them he wouldn’t be returning to Seven after taking a long-overdue vacation with household.
Hypothesis has been rife inside the community’s Mt Coot-tha studios that the Brisbane information director was underneath fireplace inside Seven following the general public embarrassment brought on by his mishandling of Ghidella’s departure.
Day by day Mail Australia can reveal the broadcaster’s billionaire proprietor, Kerry Stokes, was personally outraged by the best way the outgoing Seven star was handled, given her 17 years of loyal service to the corporate.
Stress had continued to construct on Mr Coombes within the wake of Ghidella’s departure as followers of the favored presenter switched to her new house on Ten’s nightly bulletin and Seven’s Brisbane information providing started to tank.
Rumours about his destiny on the community went into overdrive this week after Seven’s information dynamo Ray Kuka jetted into Brisbane on Tuesday.
‘Ray is Seven’s Mr Repair-It,’ one senior insider advised Day by day Mail Australia.
Sacked Seven star Sharyn Ghidella was rapidly snapped up by community rivals Ten
Seven Brisbane information boss Michael Coombes won’t return to the community’s newsroom
‘As quickly as we noticed him within the corridors, we knew one thing was up.
‘He is like “The Wolf” from Pulp Fiction – he cleans up messes – and it is labored.
‘He is solely been in Brisbane a few days and already the rankings are on the best way up once more.’
Mr Kuka, who’s often primarily based in Perth, made headlines earlier this 12 months after ‘bouncing’ the boss of his community’s essential rivals, outgoing 9 chief Mike Sneesby, at his opulent resort in Paris in the course of the Olympic Video games.
Mr Coombes had been in control of the Brisbane and Gold Coast newsrooms since June 2023, after predecessor Neil Warren moved south to steer the Sydney operation.
Information dynamo Ray Kuka is named ‘The Wolf’ inside Seven – he cleans up messes
Mr Warren has additionally since left the corporate amid a widespread overhaul of Seven’s information division underneath newly minted nationwide information boss Anthony De Ceglie.
Mr Coombes had been on go away for 2 weeks earlier than confirming his departure on Friday however advised colleagues his resolution to give up the corporate was not linked to the newsroom’s latest scandals and had been within the works for ‘someday’.
‘Formally, I end up on October 31. However, fortunately, I’ve a staggering go away steadiness and can stay on go away till then,’ he advised Seven staffers within the e-mail.
‘I’m certain there will probably be hypothesis, however I need you all to know that, regardless of what you might learn, my resolution is by no means linked with any damaging inferences which can be thrown about. Fairly merely, it is time.’
Mr Coombes denied his vacation had been sudden or sudden.
‘My household journey to the Whitsundays was neither abrupt, nor unexplained. It had been deliberate for a very long time,’ he stated within the e-mail.
‘We’ve really twice delayed that vacation for numerous causes. It’s additionally my first break in 9 months.’
Mr Coombes’ departure comes sizzling on the heels of reports that after 13 years, presenter Tim Watson is ‘able to name it a day’ and hand over his weeknight sports activities bulletin throughout Melbourne‘s 6pm information, in line with The Australian’s Media Diary.
Watson landed his commentary function with Seven in 1992 after retiring from AFL.
Rebecca Maddern is believed to be in talks to take over from Watson when he finally ends up.
Seven’s newly recruited star Karina Carvalho, who just lately joined from ABC, is alleged to finish the puzzle by taking over Maddern’s present weekend duties.
Rebecca Maddern is in talks to take over Seven’s nightly sports activities bulletin in Melbourne
Karina Carvalho is in talks to increase her duties in Seven’s Melbourne newsroom
Ghidella has described her transfer to Ten as a homecoming, having began her metropolitan information profession with the broadcaster again in 1980.
‘I’m wondering if my safety tag nonetheless works,’ she joked in a video asserting the information.
‘Returning to 10 Information First seems like coming house,’ the veteran broadcaster added in a press release.
‘Community 10 gave me my first massive break within the early 90s, and to be again right here, delivering an area information service for Queenslanders, is past thrilling.’
It comes after information that sports activities presenter Tim Watson (pictured) is ‘able to name it a day’ and hand over his weeknightly sports activities bulletin throughout Melbourne’s 6pm information
Sharyn Ghidella has described her change to Ten as a homecoming after 17 years at Seven
She was recruited by Brisbane’s Channel 10 newsroom on the age of 24 as an on-the-road reporter and replace presenter.
Ghidella moved to Sydney’s 9 Community in 1992 and became a regular newsreader on the Today Show, before moving to the Seven Network in 2007.
She has offered the community’s Brisbane bulletin since 2013 however was axed from her function after 17 years final month.
Seven’s Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide newsrooms have all had a change of bosses since Mr De Ceglie took cost, and new government producers have additionally been appointed on Dawn, Weekend Dawn and Highlight.