Jessica Rowe’s abrupt departure from Studio 10 sent shock waves through the Australian media industry this week.
And it’s now been claimed that Channel Ten executives were gearing up to axe the 47-year-old presenter as part of drastic cost-cutting measures.
An Insider told The Sunday Telegraph that the embattled network, which went into voluntary administration last year, wanted to reduce costs by up to $500,000 a year.
Cutting costs? An insider has claimed that Channel Ten executives were gearing up to axe Jessica Rowe as part of cost-cutting measures at the embattled network. Executives allegedly wanted to reduce costs by up to $500,000 a year. The 47-year-old was pictured on Saturday with her 11-year-old daughter Allegra and a school friend
‘There was a plan in place to eliminate one presenter and the decision was made it would be Jessica Rowe,’ an unnamed source said.
‘The writing has been on the wall for a long time.’
Jessica first joined Studio 10 back in 2013.
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, a Channel Ten spokesperson dismissed the report as ‘total fiction.’
Out: ‘There was a plan in place to eliminate one presenter and the decision was made it would be Jessica Rowe,’ an unnamed source said
New addition: The report comes just months after former Today co-host Lisa Wilkinson joined the network with a rumoured $2 million pay packet
‘The story is completely false. It is total fiction. Jessica Rowe resigned,’ they said.
The report comes just months after former Today co-host Lisa Wilkinson joined the network with a rumoured $2 million pay packet.
On Friday, Jessica’s departure ignited a feud between Channel Ten and Robert McKnight, a former executive producer at Studio 10.
Moments after Jessica’s announcement, Robert wrote on Twitter: ‘Sad to hear (Jess) is leaving Studio 10. (Channel Ten) have been planning to sack her for over a year.’
See you in court! Channel Ten has slammed a ‘spiteful’ former Studio 10 producer who claimed the network ‘wanted to fire Jessica for a year’
‘She blamed me, even though I was trying to save her job,’ he added.
Channel Ten’s publicity team promptly hit back with an official statement denying McKnight’s claims.
A spokesperson said: ‘Mr McKnight’s claim is completely wrong, obviously spiteful and deliberately misleading.’
‘As Jess said, she has decided to leave Studio 10 to devote more time to her family and her other interests. Anyone who suggests otherwise is being petty and ignorant. Jess is welcome back to TEN anytime.’
‘I look forward to them repeating that in court’: After Ten issued a statement denying Robert McKnight’s (L) tweet about their alleged plans to fire Jessica (R), he threatened legal action
David Wilson, the director of Watercooler Talent agency to which Jessica is signed, also refuted what McKnight had tweeted.
He responded on Twitter: ‘To be absolutely clear – Ten offered Jess a generous new contract for her to stay. Leaving Studio 10 was Jess’ choice for the reasons she so beautifully articulated on air this morning. It takes great courage to make these big decisions.’
Hours later, McKnight took to Twitter with his response to Channel Ten’s statement, which had first appeared in an article published by News.com.au.
‘Re @channelten’s quote in @newscomauHQ saying my tweet was ‘completely wrong’, I look forward to them repeating that in court,’ he tweeted.
Illustrious career: Jessica is one of Australia’s most well-known television personalities, having been on screens for more than 20 years
Jessica is one of Australia’s most well-known television personalities, having been on screens for more than 20 years.
She was a co-host of Channel Ten’s evening news, before defecting to Nine in 2006, where she briefly appeared alongside Karl Stefanovic as host of the Today show.
On Friday’s show, Jessica made clear that Channel Ten had been ‘nothing but supportive’ of her decision.
On Friday, Jessica Rowe shocked the nation by announcing she was leaving Studio 10 live on air. She has claimed Channel Ten was ‘nothing but supportive’ of her decision