Q+A host Hamish Macdonald departs ABC
ABC Q+A host Hamish Macdonald is leaving the ABC after 18 months with the national broadcaster.
Macdonald took over hosting the program throughout the initial coronavirus lockdowns of 2020, as well as guiding the program through its first time slot change in its 13-year history to 8.30pm Thursdays. The program has failed to draw audience numbers since both Macdonald’s replacement of Tony Jones and the move to Thursday evenings earlier this year.
The journalist and former co-host of Ten’s The Project, has in addition to Q+A regularly presented RN Breakfast, hosted the Reef Live event, filed for Foreign Correspondent and reported from the field during the 2020 bushfires.
“I am enormously grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to host Q+A and to work alongside wonderful, talented and passionate people,” said Macdonald. “I am really proud of what we’ve achieved together during these extraordinary times.
“I’d also like to thank the incredible Q+A audience for all they contribute to this program each week. It is, after all, their show. Their questions and stories from all corners of Australia are inspiring, revealing and clever – and it has been a privilege to receive and read them.
“I’m really excited to be moving on to a new opportunity, and working more with the ABC in the future.”
With lockdowns continuing, Q+A will continue to be hosted where it’s possible to have a studio audience, with a rotation of the ABC’s very best live presenters.
ABC’s director, news Gaven Morris said: “Everyone at the ABC thanks Hamish for the incredible job he has done.
“At one stage during the lockdown he was presenting a live panel discussion program that wasn’t allowed to have either an audience or panellists in the studio. His experience and versatility came to the fore.
“Hamish has long been a part of the ABC family and we look forward to continuing that relationship when opportunities arise.”
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Olivia Kruimel is the managing editor at Mumbrella. She has more than 15 years of experience in journalism, communications and marketing. Her journalism career began at Fairfax Media (now part of Nine) and includes various B2B publications such as B&T, Travel Today and ALB. As a marketer Olivia has worked for Standard Chartered and various global law firms.
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