EXCLUSIVE
The Seven News boss responsible for sacking presenter Sharyn Ghidella over the phone while she was at the hairdresser’s has quit the network.
Michael Coombes emailed colleagues on Friday to inform them he would not be returning to Seven after taking a long-awaited holiday with his family.
There has been much speculation at the broadcaster’s Mt Coot-tha studios that the Brisbane news director was under fire within Seven following the public embarrassment caused by his mishandling of Ghidella’s departure.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the broadcaster’s billionaire owner Kerry Stokes was personally outraged by the way the outgoing Seven star was treated, given his 17 years of loyal service to the company.
Pressure on Coombes continued to mount following Ghidella’s departure, as fans of the popular presenter moved on to her new home on Ten’s evening bulletin and Seven’s Brisbane news offering began to wane.
Rumours about his fate at the network were rife this week after Seven news dynamo Ray Kuka arrived in Brisbane on Tuesday.
“Ray is Seven’s problem solver,” a senior official told Daily Mail Australia.
Sacked Seven star Sharyn Ghidella was quickly snapped up by rival network Ten
Seven Brisbane news boss Michael Coombes will not return to the network’s newsroom
‘As soon as we saw him in the hallway we knew something was up.
‘It’s like The Wolf from Times of Violence: he cleaned up the mess and it worked.
‘It’s only been in Brisbane for a couple of days and already the ratings are going up again.’
Mr Kuka, who is usually based in Perth, made headlines earlier this year after “sacking” the boss of his network’s main rivals, outgoing Nine boss Mike Sneesby, at his opulent hotel in Paris during the Olympics.
Mr Coombes had been in charge of the Brisbane and Gold Coast newsrooms since June 2023, after his predecessor Neil Warren moved south to run the Sydney operation.
News dynamo Ray Kuka is known as ‘The Wolf’ on Seven: he cleans up the messes
Mr Warren also left the company amid a sweeping overhaul of Seven’s news division under newly appointed national news chief Anthony De Ceglie.
Mr Coombes had been on leave for two weeks before confirming his departure on Friday, but told colleagues his decision to leave the company was unrelated to recent newsroom scandals and had been in the works “for some time”.
“I officially finish on October 31st, but luckily I have an amazing holiday balance and will remain on leave until then,” she told Seven staff in the email.
“I’m sure there will be speculation, but I want everyone to know that, despite what you may read, my decision is in no way related to any negative inferences that may arise. It’s simply time.”
Mr Coombes denied that his holiday had been sudden or unexpected.
“My family trip to the Whitsundays was neither abrupt nor inexplicable. We had planned it for a long time,” she said in the email.
“In fact, we have postponed that vacation twice for various reasons. Plus, this is my first vacation in nine months.”
Coombes’ departure comes shortly after news that after 13 years, presenter Tim Watson is “set to call it quits” and deliver his nightly sports bulletin during Melbourne’s 6pm news, according to The Australian Press Diary.
Watson landed his commentary job at Seven in 1992 after retiring from the AFL.
Rebecca Maddern is believed to be in talks to replace Watson when her term ends.
New Seven star Karina Carvalho, who recently joined from ABC, is said to be completing the puzzle by taking over Maddern’s current weekend duties.
Rebecca Maddern is in talks to take over Seven’s evening sports bulletin in Melbourne
Karina Carvalho is in talks to expand her role in Seven’s Melbourne newsroom
Ghidella has described his move to Ten as a homecoming, having begun his career in metropolitan news with the broadcaster in 1980.
“I wonder if my security tag still works,” he joked in a video announcing the news.
“Returning to 10 News First feels like coming home,” the veteran broadcaster added in a statement.
‘Channel 10 gave me my first big break in the early 90s and to be back here, delivering a local news service to Queenslanders, is beyond exciting.’
This comes after news that sports presenter Tim Watson (pictured) is “ready to call it a day” and deliver his weeknight sports bulletin during Melbourne’s 6pm newscast.
Sharyn Ghidella has described her move to Ten as a homecoming after 17 years at Seven.
She was recruited by Channel 10’s Brisbane newsroom at the age of 24 as a roving reporter and news update presenter.
Ghidella moved to Sydney’s Nine Network in 1992 and became a regular news presenter on the Today Show, before moving to the Seven Network in 2007.
She has presented the broadcaster’s Brisbane bulletin since 2013 but was sacked from the role after 17 years last month.
Seven’s newsrooms in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have all seen boss changes since De Ceglie took over, with new executive producers also appointed at Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and Spotlight.