Leigh Sales signs for 3 more years at 7:30
One the TV's most-grilling interviewers, is sticking with her day job.
- Published by David Knox
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Leigh Sales has signed for another three years as host of ABC’s 7:30.
Sales has been presenting since 2011, and is now regarded as one the TV’s most-grilling interviewers, but she balances it with side projects such as her podcast, Chat 10, Looks 3 with pal Annabel Crabb.
Ratings for the show continue to hold against competition reality offerings on commercial networks, sometimes defeating those up against it.
“Not a day goes by without someone coming up to me and thanking me, because I think they see the value in people in power being questioned and held to account,” she told The Australian.
The variety in the role can include interviewing lifelong idols, such as Paul McCartney but also carries punishing scrutiny and social media criticism, invariably accusing her of media bias.
News Corp today says of her interview with PM Scott Morrison, “Leigh Sales has come under fire for her ‘disappointing’ interview with PM Scott Morrison who viewers said shouted and walked ‘all over her.'”
What and give up show business…?
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13 Responses
I don’t see any bias in her political questions. She seems equally tough on both major parties.
Great news; Leigh is along with David Speers the best interviewer and journalist currently fronting prime time. There is a commanding presence that Leigh displays that allows her to traverse political; social and artistic content. Her interview last year with Sir Paul McCartney was brilliant; as was her piece with actor Yael Stone. Earlier this week the entire program on the Pell story was really compelling – and I think there were 5 interviews in the one program. Brava!
Don’t get me wrong it’s great to have a red head and woman in the chair and she does a fine job I’m sure but I stopped watching 730 when Kerry o’Brien left. Sales has what they call in the commercial world as zero charisma. I think she would be better suited to hosting Q&A. I’d rather watch Ellen Fanning or Jeremy Fernandez at dinner time
Maybe she will also be hosting QandA on Mondays?
Delighted to read this (whilst watching her look into the Cardinal Pell verdict). 7.30 is the only non-bulletin current affairs show we watch in this household
Leigh Sales is great. If I were running this show, i’d narrow the topics they cover to the day’s top stories and federal politics. All the magazine style profiles and interviews can go somewhere else.
I think they get the balance right myself, I like how they can balance the serious hard-hitting stories and the heart-warming in the same night and no story fills too rushed. The benefit of no ads.
If it was on ABC24 I’d have a different view, but as something on the main channel it is good to keep it appealing to a wide audience rather than push the human-interest and lighter topics to a 5:30pm or Sunday afternoon filler show.
Some may say its her night job ..
????
Most grilling interviewer? Only with Labor. She goes soft on the Libs. She’s accused of bias on social media because she is.
Bias is in the ear of the beholder. Google ‘I ask the questions on this program’: Leigh Sales vs the PM’ for a YouTube and other links. Just one example of course.
Yes, I had similar thoughts. People generally think someone else is politically biased because of their own political bias.
Over the years I’ve been accused of bias against every network, ha.
Last time I was working for the ABC I was accused of being biased both left and right – on one occasion the accusations came from both sides about the same story! But I think the best comment came from a well-known NSW ALP pollie who confided to me that “I think you’re really one of us”.