Tony Armstrong is a frontrunner for a major gig at Channel Seven, according to a new report.
In September, it was revealed that sports presenter Tim Watson is ‘ready to call it a day’ and hand over his weeknightly sports bulletin during Melbourne’s 6pm news, according to The Australian’s Media Diary.
And Tony may be leaving the ABC and stepping into the hot seat, the Herald Sun claimed on Friday.
The Fox Footy host Garry Lyon added fuel to the fire this week when he joked that Armstrong may replace Watson as Channel 7 sports anchor.
Lyon made the comments on his SEN Breakfast radio show, which he and Watson co-host.
Channel Seven declined to comment on the matter when approached by the Herald Sun.
Watson landed his commentary role with Seven in 1992 after retiring from AFL.
Rebecca Maddern is believed to be in talks with the network to take over from Watson once he departs.
Tony Armstrong (pictured) is a frontrunner for a major gig at Channel Seven according to a new report. He may be leaving the ABC, according to a new report
In September, it was revealed 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, according to The Australian’s Media Diary – and Tony may in up for the job
She will switch from working weekends to reading sport Monday to Friday.
Meanwhile, the network’s new presenter Karina Carvalho, who recently moved from ABC, could take over Maddern’s weekend role.
The rumoured shake-up comes after Sharyn Ghidella made her comeback as she started her new gig on Channel 10 news.
The Queensland-based news presenter, 57, was sacked from 7News in July after 17 years with the network amid a string of media job cuts.
She has now joined Network 10 to anchor the 5pm Queensland news bulletin.
Rebecca Maddern (pictured) is believed to be in talks with the network about taking over from Watson once he departs
Her move to the network will also bring the 10 News First show back to its Brisbane studios after years of it being read from Sydney.
Sharyn described her new job as a ‘full-circle moment’ as she returns to Network 10 after beginning her metro news career with the channel back in 1990.
‘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.’
She was recruited by Brisbane’s Channel 10 newsroom at the age of 24 as an on-the-road reporter and update presenter.
Sharyn 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.
The rumoured shake-up comes after Sharyn Ghidella (pictured) made her comeback as she started her new gig on Channel 10 news
There has been a cost-cutting bloodbath at Seven as the network’s news division comes under new management.
Seven West Media slashed 150 editorial staff in a round of redundancies which claimed big names including newsreader Sharyn and veteran weatherman Paul Burt.
Seven Network’s recently appointed news and current affairs boss Anthony De Ceglie has been replacing sections leaders across the country with younger managers.
He has also introduced a Friday night comedy spot and astrology to the news.
Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide all have fresh news directors, and new executive producers have been put in charge of Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and Spotlight.
The cost-cutting bloodbath also saw the axing of veterans Robert Ovadia, Andrew Frampton and seasoned Melbourne crime reporter Cameron Baud, who is known among friends as the ‘Harvester of Sorrow’ due to his grim news beat.
On the Sydney front, Ovadia – perhaps the most high profile of all the figures axed up until Ghidella’s – has announced he will take Seven to the Fair Work Commission for unfair dismissal.
