EXCLUSIVE
The Seven news boss responsible for sacking long-serving presenter Sharyn Ghidella over the phone while she was at the hairdressers has resigned from the network.
Michael Coombes emailed colleagues on Friday to inform them he would not be returning to Seven after taking a long-overdue holiday with family.
Speculation has been rife within the network’s Mt Coot-tha studios that the Brisbane news director was under fire within Seven following the public embarrassment caused by his mishandling of Ghidella’s departure.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal the broadcaster’s billionaire owner, Kerry Stokes, was personally outraged by the way the outgoing Seven star was treated, given her 17 years of loyal service to the company.
Pressure had continued to build on Mr Coombes in the wake of Ghidella’s departure as fans of the popular presenter switched to her new home on Ten’s nightly bulletin and Seven’s Brisbane news offering began to tank.
Rumours about his fate at the network went into overdrive this week after Seven’s news dynamo Ray Kuka jetted into Brisbane on Tuesday.
‘Ray is Seven’s Mr Fix-It,’ one senior insider told Daily Mail Australia.
Sacked 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
‘As soon as we saw him in the corridors, we knew something was up.
‘He’s like “The Wolf” from Pulp Fiction – he cleans up messes – and it’s worked.
‘He’s only been in Brisbane a couple of days and already the ratings are on the way up again.’
Mr Kuka, who is usually based in Perth, made headlines earlier this year after ‘bouncing’ the boss of his network’s main rivals, outgoing Nine chief Mike Sneesby, at his opulent hotel in Paris during the Olympic Games.
Mr Coombes had been in charge of the Brisbane and Gold Coast newsrooms since June 2023, after 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 since left the company amid a widespread overhaul of Seven’s news division under newly minted national news boss Anthony De Ceglie.
Mr Coombes had been on leave for two weeks before confirming his departure on Friday but told colleagues his decision to quit the company was not linked to the newsroom’s recent scandals and had been in the works for ‘sometime’.
‘Officially, I finish up on October 31. But, thankfully, I have a staggering leave balance and will remain on leave until then,’ he told Seven staffers in the email.
‘I am sure there will be speculation, but I want you all to know that, despite what you may read, my decision is in no way connected with any negative inferences which may be thrown about. Quite simply, it’s time.’
Mr Coombes denied his holiday had been sudden or unexpected.
‘My family trip to the Whitsundays was neither abrupt, nor unexplained. It had been planned for a long time,’ he said in the email.
‘We’ve actually twice delayed that holiday for various reasons. It’s also my first break in nine months.’
Mr Coombes’ departure comes hot on the heels of news that after 13 years, presenter Tim Watson is ‘ready to call it a day’ and hand over his weeknight sports bulletin during Melbourne’s 6pm news, according to The Australian’s Media Diary.
Watson landed his commentary role with Seven in 1992 after retiring from AFL.
Rebecca Maddern is believed to be in talks to take over from Watson when he finishes up.
Seven’s newly recruited star Karina Carvalho, who recently joined from ABC, is said to complete the puzzle by taking on 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 in Seven’s Melbourne newsroom
Ghidella has described her move to Ten as a homecoming, having started her metropolitan news career with the broadcaster back in 1980.
‘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 broadcaster added in a statement.
‘Network 10 gave me my first big break in the early 90s, and to be back here, delivering a local news service for Queenslanders, is beyond exciting.’
It comes after news that sports presenter Tim Watson (pictured) is ‘ready to call it a day’ and hand over his weeknightly sports bulletin during Melbourne’s 6pm news
Sharyn Ghidella has described her switch to Ten as a homecoming after 17 years at Seven
She was recruited by Brisbane’s Channel 10 newsroom at the age of 24 as an on-the-road reporter and update presenter.
Ghidella moved to Sydney’s Nine Network in 1992 and became a regular newsreader on the Today Show, before moving to the Seven Network in 2007.
She has presented the network’s Brisbane bulletin since 2013 but was axed from her role after 17 years last month.
Seven’s Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide newsrooms have all had a change of bosses since Mr De Ceglie took charge, and new executive producers have also been appointed on Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and Spotlight.
