What Tracy Grimshaw will do next as she returns to farm life

Tracy Grrimshaw’s schedule is wide open for the first time in 40 years. 

The TV veteran, 62, shocked the nation on Monday night by announcing she will be quitting A Current Affair in November, leaving behind an illustrious broadcasting career that spans four decades. 

So what will Australia’s favourite news hound do with all her spare time? 

While Grimshaw hasn’t announced what she plans to do next, it’s safe to say she’ll be spending plenty of time tending to her acreage property on the outskirts of Sydney. 

Grimshaw, who is fiercely private about her personal life, is known to enjoy her solitude and currently lives alone on the sprawling farm estate. 

Photos taken in 2016 show the presenter dressed in farmyard attire as she mowed the grass on an industrial ride-on mower.

Photos taken in 2016 show the presenter dressed in farmyard attire as she mowed the grass on an industrial ride-on mower 

She protected her ears with large noise-cancelling headphones and obscured her face beneath a baseball cap pulled down past her eyes. 

Given the esteemed journalist rarely attends A-list industry events, it’s likely she will choose to live out her retirement outside the public eye. 

Indeed, a report by New Idea magazine previously claimed Grimshaw suffered from crippling ‘shyness’ and finds solitude ‘less daunting’. 

The journalist protected her ears with large noise-cancelling headphones and obscured her face beneath a baseball cap pulled down past her eyes

‘Tracy has battled shyness her entire career… she is so introverted it actually affects her daily life,’ a source told the magazine in 2016. 

‘The person you see on TV is not the same person you would meet on the street,’ they said of Grimshaw, who is known to exude confidence in her role on A Current Affair.’

Quitting A Current Affair will help Grimshaw find more time to indulge in her passion for horse riding.

Given the esteemed journalist rarely attends A-list industry events, it’s likely she will also choose to live out her retirement outside the public eye

Her property boasts a horse stables and plenty of room for equestrian activities.  

In 2016, she was famously knocked off her horse in a horrific riding accident and had to be flown via helicopter to the emergency room.  

The crew that treated her at the scene suggested that her horse was spooked by the sound of a lawnmower.

Quitting A Current Affair will help Grimshaw find more time to indulge in her passion for horse riding

They also reported that she may have been unconscious for up to 15 minutes. 

Luckily, Tracy was wearing a helmet at the time – a decision that likely saved her life.  

Grimshaw announced she was stepping down from A Current Affair during Monday night’s episode. 

Grimshaw announced she was stepping down from A Current Affair during Monday’s episode 

‘Normally right about now we’d be telling you what to expect tomorrow night, but lately I’ve personally been thinking longer term, and I have some news that I wanted you to hear from me before you hear it from anyone else,’ Grimshaw began.

‘I’ve decided to finish up with A Current Affair this year.

‘It’s been a big decision and before the gossip websites start telling you rubbish, I want you to know it’s been my decision alone and I’m not being shoved out the door by the boys’ club because I’m too old.

‘It’s been a big decision and before the gossip websites start telling you rubbish, I want you to know it’s been my decision alone and I’m not being shoved out the door,’ she said on air

‘I’m not too old, I’m just a bit tired. And for the record both the boys and the girls have asked me to stay,’ Grimshaw continued. 

‘But I’ve basically been a shift worker for 26 years, driving to work before dawn for nine years on the Today show, and the past 17 years driving home after dark here on A Current Affair and it’s time for less of that daily obligation.’

‘I was just a kid in 1971 when Mike Willesee started it, and in our family it was required viewing each night as Michael either forensically dismantled some politician or maybe laughed along with Hoges.

‘I’m not too old, I’m just a bit tired. And for the record both the boys and the girls have asked me to stay,’ added Grimshaw (pictured in 2018)

‘Back then, I was going to be a vet or a flight attendant, so if you’d told me that one day I’d sit in this chair, let alone occupy it for 17 years, I’d have thought you were mad. Well, lucky me.

‘You’ve let me indulge my love of interviewing here.

‘I’ve talked to people who’ve made us all laugh and cry, who’ve shared their triumphs and their challenges and their wisdom and despair.

‘I’ve basically been a shift worker for 26 years, driving to work before dawn for nine years on the Today show, and the past 17 years driving home after dark here on A Current Affair and it’s time for less of that daily obligation,’ she explained. (Pictured at the Logie Awards in 2018)

‘And because it’s your show, not mine, and you get to vote each night with your remote control, you told us you wanted more of that. 

‘So thank you for that opportunity. Thank you for your loyalty. I hope I’ve repaid it.’

Grimshaw concluded: ‘I’m around until November then I’m going to take a long holiday, but it’s business as usual until then. See you tomorrow night.’

The official Twitter account for A Current Affair also shared the news on Monday night

The official Twitter account for A Current Affair also shared the news on Monday night. 

‘After 17 years in the hosting chair, our very own @tracygrimshaw has announced she will be stepping down from presenting A Current Affair at the end of the year. Thank you, Tracy,’ the post read. 

In January 2006, Grimshaw took over from Ray Martin as host of A Current Affair, her most well-known news role.

In January 2006, Grimshaw took over from Ray Martin as host of A Current Affair, her most well-known news role. (Pictured at the Logies in 2006)

‘She put me to shame,’ Martin said. ‘She’s so good. I love what she does and I love watching her.’ 

A young Grimshaw started her career as a reporter in Nine’s Melbourne newsroom in 1981. 

The journalist then began hosting National Nine News from 1995 until 2005, before starring on The Midday Show.

In that same year, Grimshaw began to work on the Today show with Steve Liebmann, which he described as a ‘great professional marriage’.

A young Grimshaw started her career as a reporter in Nine’s Melbourne newsroom in 1981 

The journalist then began hosting National Nine News from 1995 until 2005

Significant stories Grimshaw has reported on over the years include the Thredbo landslide, the death of Princess Diana, and the Beaconsfield Mine collapse.

The beloved television journalist celebrated 40 years at Channel Nine in October last year. 

Her colleague Brady Halls paid tribute to her to mark the milestone, saying: ‘You are an outstanding journalist. 

In 2005, Grimshaw began working on the Today show. Pictured on Today  

‘You are a wonderful colleague to all of us in the office, and a really good friend.’

Tracy’s notable ACA interviews included her sit-downs with former NRL player Matthew Johns and disgraced TV host Don Burke. 

Her interviews with former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson were also heavily praised. 

Tracy’s most notable ACA interviews included sit-downs with former NRL player Matthew Johns, disgraced TV host Don Burke, former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson 

More recently, Grimshaw was given the opportunity to talk with Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the rape allegations made by former political staffer Brittany Higgins.

It was the first interview Mr Morrison had sat down for regarding the allegations and the effect it was having on his government.

In May, she made headlines for a heated interview with Morrison in the lead up to the federal election. 

More recently, Grimshaw was given the opportunity to talk with Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the rape allegations made by former political staffer Brittany Higgins

Grimshaw delivered a scathing assessment of Morrison’s leadership skills. 

The Channel Nine presenter didn’t mince her words, outlining the Prime Minister’s numerous failures and embarrassing gaffes in her eyes in recent years.

‘You said on Sunday that you saved the country, (but) you didn’t hold a hose (during the bushfires), you weren’t in your tinny plucking people off rooftops (during the floods in NSW and Queensland), and you didn’t do 16 hour days in PPE on Covid-19 wards,’ she fumed.

In May, she made headlines for a heated interview with Morrison in the lead up to the federal election 

Grimshaw delivered a scathing assessment of Morrison ‘s leadership skills. Pictured: Scott Morrison visiting bushfire-hit Sarsfield in Victoria 

‘You (also) didn’t have enough vaccines, you didn’t get enough RAT tests so we could finally have a holiday interstate for Christmas and China are set up, based in the Solomon Islands.

‘Do you think maybe you slightly over edged the part about saving the country?’

Morrison managed to keep his composure before informing the fired up Grimshaw it was ‘quite a long list you’ve been able to pull together.’

Grimshaw celebrated 40 years at Channel Nine in October last year. Pictured in 2008

The PM then launched a detailed response, highlighting his achievements as the nation’s leader.

Grimshaw quickly pointed out the PM had failed to mention other major criticisms about his leadership, including notoriously saying, ‘I don’t hold a hose mate’, after coming under fire for going on holiday in 2019 to Hawaii while Australia was in crisis. 

The on-air clash proved embarrassing for the former PM, who went on to lose the federal election to Anthony Albanese.  

‘She put me to shame,’ former ACA host Ray Martin said of Grimshaw last year. ‘She’s so good. I love what she does and I love watching her’