Channel Seven Brisbane star Shane Webcke has announced his shock departure from the sports news desk amid the network’s recent staff bloodbath.
The presenter announced the news in a statement on Friday, revealing he will be leaving his post in January, but will remain with Seven for NRL insights.
Shane had recently been in discussions with Seven management to reduce his work hours so he could spend more time on his family business, reported the Courier Mail.
‘After 18 years presenting sport for 7NEWS Brisbane, I’ve made the decision to take a slightly new direction and from January I’ll be stepping back from the news desk,’ he said.
‘It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while, to allow me greater flexibility and more time to pursue my family agricultural interests.
‘But I’m not going far. I’ll still appear regularly on 7NEWS alongside my good mate Gilly, providing rugby league insights for our viewers.
‘I have been treated so well over the last 18 years, and I’m grateful to Seven for supporting me through this next phase.’
The former rugby league player spent his footy career with the Brisbane Broncos, representing Queensland at the Stat of Origin 21 times.
Channel Seven Brisbane star Shane Webcke, 49, (pictured) has announced his shock departure from the sports news desk amid the network’s recent staff bloodbath
He retired from the sport in 2006 and went on to become the Sunday to Thursday sports presenter at Seven News in Brisbane, a position he will hold until January.
Shane is one in a long line of Seven employees who have reduced their duties or been axed amid the network’s cost-cutting bloodbath in recent months.
Seven West Media slashed 150 editorial staff in a round of redundancies which claimed big names including Queenslanders newsreader Sharyn Ghidella 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.
The presenter announced the news in a statement on Friday, revealing he will be leaving his post in January, but will remain with Seven for NRL insights
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 network has also axed 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.
Daily Mail Australia previously reported Ovadia allegedly sent a series of strange, doctored images to a young female reporter before he was dumped.
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