EXCLUSIVE
The Seven News chief executive responsible for sacking long-serving presenter Sharyn Ghidella over the phone while she was at the hairdresser’s has resigned from the network.
Michael Coombes emailed his colleagues on Friday to let them know he would not be returning to Seven after taking a long-awaited holiday with his family.
Speculation is rife within the network’s Mt Coot-tha studios that the Brisbane news director is under fire at Seven after being publicly embarrassed by his poor handling of Ghidella’s departure.
Ny Breaking Australia can reveal that the broadcaster’s billionaire owner Kerry Stokes was personally outraged by the way the departing Seven star was treated, given her 17 years of loyal service to the company.
Pressure on Mr Coombes mounted following Ghidella’s departure as fans of the popular presenter moved to her new home on Ten’s evening bulletin and Seven’s Brisbane news offering fell into disuse.
Rumours about his fate at the network gained momentum this week after Seven’s news mogul Ray Kuka flew to Brisbane on Tuesday.
“Ray is Seven’s handyman,” an insider told Ny Breaking Australia.
Fired Seven star Sharyn Ghidella was quickly snapped up by network rivals Ten
Seven Brisbane News boss Michael Coombes will not return to the network’s newsroom
‘When we saw him in the hallways, we knew right away something was wrong.
“He’s like ‘The Wolf’ from Pulp Fiction: he cleans up messes and it works.
‘He’s only been in Brisbane for a few days and already the ratings are back on the rise.’
Mr Kuka, who normally lives in Perth, made headlines earlier this year after he “shooed away” the boss of his network’s biggest rival, outgoing Nine chief executive Mike Sneesby, from his luxury Paris hotel during the Olympics.
Mr Coombes has been in charge of the newsrooms in Brisbane and Gold Coast since June 2023, after his predecessor Neil Warren moved south to lead the Sydney operation.
News dynamo Ray Kuka is known as ‘The Wolf’ within Seven – he cleans up messes
Mr Warren has also left the company, while Seven’s news department is undergoing a major overhaul under new national news director Anthony De Ceglie.
Mr Coombes was on leave for two weeks before confirming his departure on Friday. He told colleagues that his decision to leave the company had nothing to do with the recent scandals within the newsroom and that it had been in the works for “some time”.
“I’m officially stepping down on October 31st. But fortunately I have a huge holiday balance and will remain on leave until then,” he told Seven employees in the email.
“I’m sure there will be speculation, but I want you all to know that despite what you may read, my decision is in no way related to any negative inferences that may be drawn. Simply put, it’s time.”
Mr Coombes denied that his holiday was sudden or unexpected.
“My family trip to the Whitsundays was neither abrupt nor inexplicable. It had been planned for a long time,” he said in the email.
“We’ve actually postponed that vacation twice for different reasons. It’s also my first vacation in nine months.”
Mr Coombes’ departure comes hot on the heels of news that presenter Tim Watson is “ready to call it quits” after 13 years and handing over his weeknight sports bulletin during the 6pm Melbourne news, according to The Australian Media Diary.
Watson took up his role as commentator on Seven in 1992, after retiring from the AFL.
Rebecca Maddern is believed to be in talks to succeed Watson when he finishes.
Seven’s new star Karina Carvalho, who recently joined from ABC, would complete the jigsaw by taking over Maddern’s current weekend duties.
Rebecca Maddern is in talks to take over Seven’s nightly sports bulletin in Melbourne
Karina Carvalho is in talks to expand her duties at Seven’s Melbourne newsroom
Ghidella describes her move to Ten as a homecoming. After all, she started her career in metropolitan news in 1980 with the announcer.
“I wonder if my security tag still works,” she joked in a video announcing the news.
“Returning to 10 News First feels like coming home,” the veteran presenter added in a statement.
‘Network 10 gave me my first big break in the early 90s. Now that I’m back here and providing a local news service for the people of Queensland, it’s more than exciting.’
It follows the news that sports presenter Tim Watson (pictured) is ‘ready to call it quits’ and hand over his weekly sports bulletin during the 6pm Melbourne news.
Sharyn Ghidella has described her move to Ten as a homecoming after 17 years at Seven
At the age of 24, she was recruited by Channel 10’s newsroom in Brisbane as a travel reporter and presenter.
Ghidella moved to Nine Network in Sydney in 1992 and became a regular newsreader on the Today Show, before leaving for Seven Network in 2007.
She has presented the network’s Brisbane programming bulletin since 2013, but was relieved of her duties last month after 17 years.
Since De Ceglie took over, Seven’s newsrooms in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have all had new bosses, and new executive producers have been appointed for Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and Spotlight.
