A number of prime Channel Seven stars have been flown to the community’s Queensland newsroom to take care of mass axings and scores turmoil.
Highlight host and presenter Michael Usher and Highlight reporter Sarah Greenhalgh have been despatched to the studios in Mt Coot Tha, in line with The Australian’s Media Diary.
Deputy information boss and Perth information director Ray Kuka flew into the Sunshine State newsroom final Tuesday, whereas director of reports operations Gemma Acton has additionally jetted to Queensland.
‘Ray is Seven’s Mr Repair-It,’ one senior insider instructed Day by day Mail Australia final week.
It comes after Day by day Mail Australia solely revealed Seven’s Queensland information director Michael Coombes, who was answerable for sacking long-serving presenter Sharyn Ghidella over the phone whereas she was on the hairdressers, resigned from the community.
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 throughout 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.
A number of prime Channel Seven stars have been flown to the community’s Queensland newsroom to take care of mass axings and scores turmoil. Pictured: Michael Usher
Highlight host and presenter Michael Usher (proper) and Highlight reporter Sarah Greenhalgh (left) have been despatched to the studios in Mt Coot Tha amid the community’s battle
Strain had continued to construct on Coombes within the wake of Ghidella’s departure as followers of the favored presenter switched to her new dwelling 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 Kuka jetted into Brisbane on Tuesday.
‘As quickly as we noticed him within the corridors, we knew one thing was up,’ the senior insider instructed Day by day Mail Australia.
‘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 scores are on the best way up once more.’
Information dynamo Ray Kuka (pictured) is called ‘The Wolf’ inside Seven – he has additionally jetted in to Queensland to scrub up the mess
Kuka, who’s normally based mostly in Perth, made headlines earlier this 12 months after ‘bouncing’ the boss of his community’s fundamental rivals, outgoing 9 chief Mike Sneesby, at his opulent lodge in Paris through the Olympic Video games.
Coombes had been accountable for the Brisbane and Gold Coast newsrooms since June 2023, after predecessor Neil Warren moved south to guide the Sydney operation.
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 depart for 2 weeks earlier than confirming his departure on Friday however instructed 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 depart steadiness and can stay on depart till then,’ he instructed Seven staffers within the electronic mail.
‘I’m certain there will probably be hypothesis, however I would like you all to know that, regardless of what you could learn, my resolution is under no circumstances linked with any unfavourable inferences which can be thrown about. Fairly merely, it is time.’
Coombes denied his vacation had been sudden or surprising.
Sacked Seven star Sharyn Ghidella was shortly snapped up by community rivals Ten
Seven Brisbane information boss Michael Coombes is not going to return to the community’s newsroom
‘My household journey to the Whitsundays was neither abrupt, nor unexplained. It had been deliberate for a very long time,’ he mentioned within the electronic mail.
‘We’ve truly twice delayed that vacation for numerous causes. It’s additionally my first break in 9 months.’
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 winds up.
Rebecca Maddern (pictured) is in talks to take over Seven’s nightly sports activities bulletin in Melbourne
Karina Carvalho is in talks to broaden her duties in Seven’s Melbourne newsroom
Seven’s newly recruited star Karina Carvalho, who not too long ago joined from ABC, is alleged to finish the puzzle by taking over Maddern’s present weekend duties.
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 saying the information.
‘Returning to 10 Information First looks like coming dwelling,’ the veteran broadcaster added in an announcement.
‘Community 10 gave me my first huge break within the early 90s, and to be again right here, delivering a neighborhood 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 govt producers have additionally been appointed on Dawn, Weekend Dawn and Highlight.