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Twitter trolls were a factor in Hamish Macdonald s departure from the ABC
The Q&A host quit the network on Monday after less than 18 months
Stan Grant, Virginia Trioli and David Speers are rumoured replacements
Expert says Macdonald had an uphill battle no matter how good he was
Ratings during his time hosting the program in 2021 less than half the 2012 level
ABC praised him for his outstanding 18 months with the national broadcaster
It also noted the challenges of Q&A shifting to a Thursday night slot in pandemic
The Greater Sydney lockdown meant he had not hosted Q&A since June 24
“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.”
Q&A host Hamish Macdonald is jumping ship.
It brings to an end what appears to have been a frustrating time for the high-flying Macdonald. Brought in as Tony Jones’ replacement as host of the panel program, Macdonald was at the helm of the show as it moved from Monday night to Thursday, with an attendant plummet in ratings.
Hamish Macdonald was announced as the new host of Q&A in 2019.
Credit:Nic Walker
For the first episode of 2021, in the Thursday night slot, the show drew an audience of 280,000 metro viewers. A year earlier, on a Monday, it was watched by 411,000 in the five capital cities. By April, the numbers had plunged even further, with just 224,000 tuning in.
Q+A host Hamish Macdonald departs ABC
July 19, 2021 10:27
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.