Broadcaster Hamish Macdonald has quit the ABC after just 18 months with the broadcaster.
Macdonald had taken over as the host of flagship program Q+A, replacing long standing host Tony Jones. He had also filled in on radio program ABC Breakfast.
This year the political discussion program has struggled to maintain popularity following a move from Monday nights to Thursdays. Macdonald has been absent from the program for several weeks.
“I am enormously grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to host Q+A and to work alongside wonderful, talented and passionate people,” Macdonald said.
“I am really proud of what we’ve achieved together during these extraordinary times.
“I’d also like to thank the incredible Q+A audience for all they contribute to this program each week. It is, after all, their show. Their questions and stories from all corners of Australia are inspiring, revealing and clever – and it has been a privilege to receive and read them.
“I’m really excited to be moving on to a new opportunity, and working more with the ABC in the future.”
It has been revealed by The Australian that he will be returning to his former home at Channel Ten, with the network expected to make a formal announcement in coming days.
Under his new deal with Ten Macdonald will anchor The Sunday Project alongside Lisa Wilkinson, as well as hosting the program’s Friday night edition. He will additionally work on special investigations and create documentaries for the broadcaster.
The barrage of abuse and criticism that Macdonald accounted on social media since taking up the role is said to have contributed to his decision to leave the ABC.
Macdonald began his broadcasting career with regional network WIN, covering Canberra politics. His career has taken him across the globe, he worked in the United Kingdom for Channel 4 and ITV, while contributing to a variety of Australian networks.
In 2006 he joined the Al Jazeera news network, eventually working his way up to the position of newsreader in their Kuala Lumpur regional headquarters. He later moved to their London bureau, while also filing reports for Channel 7’s Sunrise program.
In 2010 he returned to Australia to join Channel Ten’s short-lived 6.30 with George Negus. He moved on to work with Ten News and in 2012 became the host of Ten Late News. He also delivered the documentary series The Truth Is.
In 2013 he quit the broadcaster, and spent four years working for a US broadcaster in both America and England. He returned to Ten to join the team at The Project in 2017. In 2019 Macdonald shared that he was gay and in a relationship with partner Jacob Fitzroy.
OIP Staff
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