She didn’t retire and Ann Sanders had been the weekend newsreader and consumer reporter before she replaced Lee.
They tried to spin Katrina’s exit by telling the press she’d be Ten’s answer to Jana Wendt and would be devoting time long form current affairs. She’d be promoted as one of the faces of Page One, Ten’s answer to 60 Minutes.
Ten had attempted to poach Brian Henderson in 1987 when Frank Lowy’s Northern Star acquired the network from Murdoch. Newspaper reports suggested Lowy had dangled a rather large carrot in front of Hendo to get him to make the switch but he remained loyal to Nine. No doubt Packer was aware of his value to the network and was willing to pay to keep him. Ten ended up with Steve Liebmann instead. Ian Cook probably attempted to get Hendo over to Seven when he became News Director in the late '90s.