Weekend Today’s Belinda Russell has shared a heartfelt tribute to her longtime colleague and co-host Roz Kelly following her abrupt departure from the Nine Network.
Taking to Instagram on Saturday, the breakfast TV presenter posted two photos marking their final bulletin together.
In one image the pair are seen pulling silly faces on set with newsreader Mark Burrows, and a second close-up selfie of the smiling duo behind the news desk.
‘Last news bulletin together (hopefully not forever). Miss you already,’ Russell captioned the post alongside a broken chain emoji and red love heart.
Roz’s farewell comes just weeks after the popular presenter resigned from her role at Nine, ending a significant chapter with the network.
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Weekend Today’s Belinda Russell has shared a heartfelt tribute to her longtime colleague and co-host Roz Kelly following her abrupt departure from the Nine Network. (Pictured L-R: Belinda Russell, Roz Kelly, and Mark Burrows)
‘Last news bulletin together (hopefully not forever). Miss you already,’ Russell captioned the post alongside a broken chain emoji and red love heart
Her exit follows a major reshuffle behind the scenes, after Kelly was overlooked for the high-profile Today show sports presenter gig – a role that ultimately went to rising star Danika Mason.
The decision came after former sports anchor Alex Cullen was sensationally axed in January after it emerged he accepted a $50,000 payment from controversial businessman Adrian ‘Lambo Guy’ Portelli.
While many assumed Kelly was a frontrunner for the role, it’s understood she was edged out after Mason received a glowing recommendation from none other than Peter V’landys, the influential ARL Commission boss.
Mason’s involvement in Nine’s NRL coverage during their glitzy Las Vegas broadcast in March gave her an opportunity to rub shoulders with major league and media executives – and her efforts seemingly paid off.
The move marks a major coup for Mason, who is currently in a relationship with former Bulldogs player Liam Knight, and is seen as one of Nine’s rising talents in the sporting space.
Meanwhile, sources claim Kelly has not yet secured a new role following her departure, sparking speculation about what’s next for the seasoned sports journalist.
Roz, who is married to South African cricketer Morne Morkel and shares two children with the sportsman, lived in Cape Town for five years, but moved back to Sydney following her husband’s retirement from the sport.
Today host Karl Stefanovic announced live on-air that Cullen had left the network following the incident with Portelli.
Roz’s farewell comes just weeks after the popular presenter resigned from her role at Nine, ending a significant chapter with the network
‘As most of you are well aware, our colleague Alex Cullen has not been on air with us this past week,’ a solemn Stefanovic told viewers at the time.
‘There has been widespread reporting on the circumstances surrounding this – what I can say is that last night, Alex and Nine agreed that he would finish with the network.
‘Alex has, of course, been part of the Today family for five years now, he’s always ready with a smile and a laugh, and without hesitation speaking for all of us here, we can say that we are going to miss him terribly, that’s for sure.’
‘Alex is a terrific fella, what you see is what you get and he has been a great mate to all of us over these years and we wish Alex, his wife Bonnie and his beautiful kids all the very best for the future,’ Stefanovic continued.
A Nine spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Nine has agreed with Today presenter and journalist Alex Cullen that he will finish with the network following a review into a recent incident.’
The scandal kicked off when Portelli, 35, had grown tired of his long-used nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ and offered the cash reward to the first person to use his new moniker ‘McLaren Man’ on air, with Cullen obliging on the Today show just over a week after.
The Block entrepreneur then posted what appeared to be a bank transfer of $50,000 to the presenter on Instagram.
Accepting cash, gifts or benefits to undermine journalistic independence, and improperly using a journalistic position for personal gain, are both breaches of the journalism code of ethics as defined by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance union.
The ill-advised stunt led to Cullen being suspended by Nine and he did not appear on the show while the network investigated the payment. The sum has been donated to charity by Portelli.
