Newsroom Drama: Rebecca Maddern and Karina Cavalho Clash Over Top Job at Channel Seven Melbourne

The arrival of a former ABC TV presenter at Channel Seven’s Melbourne offices has put noses out of joint – chief among them respected news and sport presenter Rebecca Maddern’s. 

Seven sources told Daily Mail Australia that the longtime anchor, 47, has been left nervous about her role at the network following the recent hiring of Carvalho, 43, and a cull of dozens of network staff across the country. 

Cavalho this weekend covered Maddern’s usual evening news anchoring role alongside Mike Amor after she flew overseas for a family wedding. Maddern is expected to be off-air until September. 

Meanwhile, before her leave, insiders said Maddern was furious to arrive at the network’s Docklands studios only to discover that Cavalho had already done pre-recordings she had been expecting to complete. 

‘Some staff think Karina was hired to replace Bec,’ one insider told Daily Mail Australia, noting that Maddern had been ‘very vocal’ about defending her patch on the newsroom floor lately. 

But senior Seven insiders pushed back – arguing that Maddern was too valuable to the network’s news and sport divisions, and that the station needed more senior local female anchors. 

Maddern is on a long-term contract and highly valued by the station, sources insisted. 

Behind the scenes, Maddern is understood to be supported by her loyal colleagues who have been talking her through the tricky new dynamic.

Rebecca Maddern isreportedly nervous she’s being replaced by Karina Cavalho who is covering her whilst she’s on annual leave

It was announced last month that seasoned journalist Karina Carvalho is set to join 7NEWS Melbourne in a dynamic new role presenting and reporting from the field

‘Bec would come into work to do the pre-recordings – but she would be told that Karina had already done it,’ they said.

‘But Bec would insist on running her recording – and the producers would because they have her back. There’s a real tension there.’

It’s not the first time Maddern has been the subject of intrigue in the Melbourne newsroom. 

Two years ago, local news personality Jacqui Felgate was said to be ‘less than impressed’ when Maddern was ‘parachuted’ into the newsreading job, following her defection from Nine. Felgate quit Seven months later.

Last month it was announced the ‘energetic’ and ‘passionate’ Calvalho would be joining the network and covering Maddern whilst she was on ‘planned leave’.

‘I am delighted to be joining the first-class 7NEWS team in Melbourne and looking forward to making a valuable contribution to the ongoing success of the network,’ Carvalho said at the time.

‘Melbourne is and always has been the nation’s most engaged audience for news and sport, so to be a part of the Seven newsroom here is an honour.’ 

Karina Cavalho co-hosts the weekend 6pm news update with Mike Amor at the weekend – filling in for Maddern

Rebecca and her camera-man husband Trent Miller are currently in London

New Director of News and Current Affairs, Chris Salter, is testing out Karina Cavalho whilst she is on ‘planned leave’

At the time it was reported Jacquie Felgate was ‘less than impressed’ when Maddern was ‘parachuted’ to the top newsreader job following her defection from Nine

A TV insider noted that the appointment of new news director Chris Salter – who she’s understood to have little relationship with – would have left Maddern concerned. 

The free-to-air broadcaster has embarked on a wave of staff cuts – culling a reported 150 staff.

It comes just weeks after Channel Seven announced restructures across their businesses.

Seven sacked veteran Brisbane anchor Sharyn Ghidella and Gold Coast weatherman Paul Burt earlier this month. 

Other big names to be culled included crime reporters Rob Ovadia in Sydney and Cameron Baud in Melbourne. 

The spotlight on the network is only set to grow more intense when the ABC’s Four Corners show runs a documentary on the culture at Seven on Monday night. 

A promo last week featured ex-Seven staff Olivia Babb and Amber Harrison speaking during the program.