Sanders herself is still at the network today, I was glad she was redeployed to another on-air role (first weekends in Sydney between 2004-05 before moving to the morning news in 2006 in addition to picking up the afternoon news in 2015) after Ian Ross joined the network towards the end of 2003.
As for Ross Symonds, I don’t know if he left on his own accord or whether Seven released him.
Though under different circumstances, Naomi Robson appeared as a contestant on DWTS in 2007, shortly after she stepped away from presenting Today Tonight. Todd Woodbridge (now at Nine) was on that same season.
And of course, Chris Bath featured on the show in 2005.
I think there is a lot more to come for this one - prior to the other week there hadn’t been anything to really suggest anything untoward happening for him and he seemed to be quite a popular star for the network (as much as news people generally can be) and so these allegations seemed to come out of the blue and with very little detail.
The fact that he has engaged lawyers already sounds like there will be a lot more detail to come through the media but it’s certainly been an interesting one by the swiftness and seeming brutality of it and the lack of detail.
Either way, if there have been significant allegations and they are correct I hope that the person/s involved are ok and receiving the appropriate attention. However, if there has been something else that hasn’t gone down well and Rob has been mistreated then I hope that he can clear his name and appear somewhere else.
We are now in 2024 and thankfully there is now seeming to be zero tolerance for any behaviour that had seemed to be acceptable in years past so if there are people who are guilty of it, it’s good that they are being moved on.
Adam Digby, the then-weatherman, was also let go by Seven then too. Sanders remained though moved to weekends, with Chris Bath replacing Chris Reason on the morning news in 2004.
Often some engage lawyers in an attempt to lesson the blow when these things came out. Gives the whole innocent until proven guilty image.
If he was sacked, well I assume whatever claims have been investigated, have been substantiated. I will side with 7 on this one.
Likely a message to all on the 7 Payroll, if you breach the code of conduct, you are out. Daily Telegraph has speculated what it could be about, and I agree, unacceptable and needs to go.
If you’re on the Seven payroll at the time of the incident you’re out.
If you’re not on the Seven payroll, then you could be paid for the story by Seven
Max Futcher presented 4pm news in Qld today.
Not a lot of consistency of late with the Katrina Blowers/ Samantha Heathwood schedule.
I’ve seen Max fill in a few times and even Sharyn.
RE: Rob Ovadia - maybe let’s wait and see what comes out before rushing to any judgement, be it positive or negative? I don’t like this idea of automatically assuming “he was sacked so he is guilty - CREEP!”. If he DID behave badly then yeah, no sympathy whatsoever - but none of us yet know what actually happened.
Ideally, Katrina is availabile to cover Sam. But if not, they should be grooming some of their reporters to be backups- Jacquelin Robson, Marlina Whop, Ned Balme, Rachel Baxter, Michelle Jensen
I argee with this. Channel 7 were not the only one. I know there is a Goof Tape from Channel 10 (or was it Channel 0 at the time) with Geoff Mullins being at the News reading deskto explain the whole situation as was there at the time(I think) which I think where the whole Suculent Chinese meals started.
A doctored image of a young female producer is alleged to be at the centre of the decision to sack veteran Channel 7 reporter Robert Ovadia.
The picture is understood to have featured a cartoon depiction of the producer, but not in a sexual manner, and led to Friday’s revelation that Ovadia had been sacked from the network after 23 years service.
Sources have said Ovadia’s sacking came after the ABC’s flagship investigative program, 4 Corners, was told about the image and began asking questions
