After almost 12 years in the role, Leigh Sales has announced she has decided to step down as presenter of ABC nightly current affairs flagship 7.30, finishing in late June.
Sales will remain with the ABC in a new role and will lead the ABC’s federal election night TV coverage.
Sales told 7.30 viewers tonight:
“I feel a strong sense of it being time to pass the baton to the next runner in the race and to take a break. The end of an election cycle feels like a good time to move onto something new at the ABC.
“I’ve always approached this job with one goal and that is to ask frank questions of people in power, without fear or favour, that a fair-minded, reasonable person with some common sense watching at home might like to ask if they were sitting in my position.
“The team at 7.30 is unparalleled in the media and I could not have more admiration or more gratitude for what they all do. It is an incredibly important program, there is no other show that does what 7.30 does night after night. I know the program is going to keep going from strength to strength, as it always has.”
Sales was appointed 7.30 anchor in December 2010 and her first edition of the program was in March 2011. Since then she has covered the terms of five Prime Ministers, anchored nine federal budgets and two federal elections – with a third coming up – and been the face of many major primetime news events for the ABC, including the death of Nelson Mandela and the election of Donald Trump.
She has interviewed hundreds of leaders, newsmakers, celebrities and other people of note at home and abroad – including tonight’s Australian TV exclusive interview with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
ABC Managing Director David Anderson described Sales as an exceptional journalist who was respected by audiences and all sides of politics.
“Leigh’s integrity, intellect and courage are evident in everything she does,”
“Our audiences have always seen Leigh as a journalist and broadcaster who challenges her subjects and asks the questions we all want answers to. I’m really looking forward to the next stage of her career here at the ABC.”
ABC NEWS Acting Director Gavin Fang said Sales had become synonymous with 7.30.
“We would love to have her stay in that role, but it’s in Leigh’s nature to seek fresh challenges, and it’s exciting for everyone to see what she’ll do next in journalism,”
“7.30 plays a vital role in the service ABC NEWS provides to audiences and the presenter job is one of the most important in the Australian media – and one of the toughest and most highly scrutinised.
“We’ll start thinking about a new presenter down the track. For the next few months we’ll just enjoy every moment of having Leigh on the program.”
John Lyons, ABC’s Head of Investigative and In-Depth Journalism:
“For almost 12 years Leigh has anchored the ABC’s nightly flagship program. Her fairness, integrity, work ethic and journalistic rigour have shone through.
Leigh is without question one of the fairest and most decent people in journalism. Her editorial leadership has inspired both her colleagues and the millions of Australians who have watched both 7.30 and the ABC’s federal election coverage over those years.”
Justin Stevens, 7.30 Executive Producer:
“Leigh espouses the finest virtues of public interest journalism. Year after year she has carried the weight and responsibility of fronting 7.30 with fairness, independence, impartiality and a forthright questioning of those in power without fear or favour – and Australian democracy is the better for it.
“Leigh is also an immensely supportive colleague and friend. She has played a key role in ensuring 7.30’s culture of strong public interest journalism with a team of formidable journalists in front of and behind the camera.
“We’ll treasure the next four months before she starts a new chapter at the ABC. She leaves this role at the top of her game.”
In 2021 7.30’s average audience rose 3% to almost 1 million total viewers per episode with a 13% share of metro audiences in its timeslot and 12.5% of regional audiences
Hamish McDonald would be a good fit