Mike Munro out of Sunday Night
Exclusive: He went from co-host to journo on the road, but Mike Munro is no longer part of the Sunday Night team.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News, Top Stories
EXCLUSIVE: He came out of ‘retirement’ to co-host Sunday Night with Chris Bath, then stepped aside to file stories on the road -but Mike Munro is no longer part of the current affairs show for Seven.
While the show chalks up its 100th episode this weekend, Munro is absent from it’s official website, which includes Bath, Mike Willesee, Ross Coulthard, Alex Cullen and Monique Wright.
A Seven spokesperson told TV Tonight, “Mike is still with Seven but he decided to take a break from being on the road with Sunday Night towards the end of last year.”
Executive Producer Mark Llewellyn said Munro shot a few stories last year and acknowledged his boost to the show’s launch.
“Without his heft in those first really hard years, we were up against it. His star power and, more importantly, his journalistic skills were a huge asset to us,” he said.
“Mike worked his butt off in the service of Sunday Night but he’s decided to enjoy life outside the pressure cooker.”
During his time on the show, there were media articles about rumours of a clash with Bath -frequently denied- and even questions about temperament. Munro later conceded if a crew member wasn’t up to the job he would freely say so.
Sunday Night, which has posted some strong numbers with stories including Victoria Cross Recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, has also come in for its share of criticism, including over a tendency to re-enact scenes for stories (including Seven’s own ‘Molly Meldrum’). The Seven Network and reporter Rahni Sadler have also both been charged by Northern Territory police after Sunday Night interviewed a prisoner without the consent of the NT Corrective Services.
But its free-wheeling format has also served Seven well on a competitive Sunday evening.
A Seven spokesperson says Munro will now work across other news and public affairs shows.
While personalities such as Melissa Doyle and Tim Noonan have cross-filed for shows such as Seven News, Sunrise, Today Tonight and Sunday Night, Munro is yet to be seen this year.
Nine spokesperson David Hurley questioned further turmoil behind the scenes of Sunday Night.
“All’s not well on the Seven flagship. Mutiny on the Bounty had nothing on this!” he said.
“Thanks heavens the SS Sunday Night is shortly giving way once again to Dancing with the Stars and heading into the Bermuda Holiday Triangle for 3 months. All that hard work since February 12 has got the ship’s company at each others’ throats. They obviously need the break.”
While he is no longer a regular, Munro could also still file an occasional story for Sunday Night -or maybe even do a ‘Willesee’ in the future and return in a blaze of glory.
“Door is always open!” says Llewellyn.
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- Tagged with Dancing with the Stars, Seven News, Sunday Night, Sunrise, Today Tonight
13 Responses
Best Nine focus on their own significant underperformance issues. Take away BBT and they have virtually nothing. Munro is a pro….Nine could do with a few.
Ha Ha David Hurley have a look in your own backyard and worry about your networks dismall perfomance before you criticise another networks show that is rating well.
Is Rahni Sadler still part of this show or is she still dealing with the arerst that happened.
Oh please! Nine wishes they had something that rates as great as DWTS does.
I for one always found Mike’s stories on Sunday Night quite good.
The stories from the Amazon last year were great value. I think Mike has alot to offer still to Australian television news, in one way or another.
That Nine spokesperson is hilarious! I love it when the networks trash talk each other, it’s like a bunch of little kids in the playground
David Leckie in particular usually has some colorful comments
I remember him once deliberately trying to make his interviewee cry. It was repellent “journalism.” From that moment on I refuse to watch anything he’s involved with.
Never liked his style. It always seemed to be ‘speak loudly and intimidate the interviewee until they say something that can be used in a promo’ there were some good ones but they were few& far between. I find it very easy to believe the rumours he is impossible to work with.
I think SN has more direction these days as a tight little show, and mike just didn’t fit the mould.
@az j: Yep, it’s Tim Noonan. But yes, Paul Marshall does do the full stop after each word and pointless stories too.
David Hurley – 60 Minutes is now tabloid trash. Rubbishing the competition that outrates 60M, albiet an hour earlier, shows desperation. Where do all of the Nine talent and execs head? To Seven! Admin, programming, news, presenters, etc., etc.
Still smarting over failing to lure Larry Emdur from Seven a year ago for “Today”.
Mike’s aged 60. Give him a break. I wouldn’t want to be overdoing it too much “on the road” at 60.
@tomothyd
Are you thinking of the old Paul Marshall?
Tim Noonan is from Today Tonight I thought?
Tim Noonan does a lot of token guesture stories for 7 News Adelaide, my god they are awful. They are full of puns, bad jokes, he puts a full stop after each word when he speaks, and the majority of the time the story is so lame and not news worthy.
The power of Chris Bath continues..
She manages to survive in the Sydney market despite being regularly out rated and now she has booted a former Nine heavy weight in Munro.
So what exactly does ‘other projects’ mean? I guess it means presenting Seven News. Although that is what he retired from doing at Nine…
So this is probably just the pretty headlong to say he is warehoused until his contract is up. Unless of course he takes over Sydney 6pm… But then again Chris Bath hasn’t been doing too badly lately!
““All’s not well on the Seven flagship. Mutiny on the Bounty had nothing on this!” he said.”
err… at least people are watching seven.
maybe you should look at the crap nine are dishing up, before trying to bag out the opposition.