Michael Rowland will leave ABC News Breakfast after nearly 15 years as co-host. Announcing the news on air on Monday morning, the presenter described the role as the best he has had at the ABC. “It’s been an immense privilege,” he said.
Michael Rowland will leave ABC News Breakfast.
“I love working on News Breakfast. Every morning is a buzz and it’s by far the best job I’ve had at the ABC,” Rowland said. “But after 15 years of 3am starts my body is screaming ‘enough!’. The hours have finally caught up with me.”
“I’m sorry to the viewers out there for the short notice, I’m not one for long and drawn-out farewells, I wanted minimal fuss,” Rowland told viewers on Monday morning.
His final day on the program will be December 13.
Breakfast television is a competitive space and anchoring is challenging, covering hard news and analysis as well as lighter entertainment. “It has been a thrill interviewing everyone from prime ministers to Hollywood superstars,” Rowland said.
“On what other program can you switch from presenting hard news to diving into a chilli-eating competition or dancing the Nutbush (badly)?
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Rowland first joined the ABC in 1987. He was a political reporter in Canberra for five years, spent four years as the ABC’s Washington correspondent and had stints as a business reporter, Lateline economics correspondent and state political reporter in NSW and Victoria.
In his onscreen farewell, he paid tribute to the News Breakfast team and the show’s viewers.
