Rebecca Maddern returns to Seven News Melbourne
"I'm thrilled to be returning home to Channel 7," says Bec Maddern, after 5 years at Nine.
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Seven has confirmed the rumours Rebecca Maddern will return to Seven News Melbourne, to co-anchor weekend bulletins with Mike Amor.
Maddern was previously at Seven prior to joining Nine in 2016, including presenting Seven Afternoon News, senior reporting and Sunrise correspondent.
Both will co-anchor from Wednesday whilst Peter Mitchell continues holidays, and thereafter co-host weekend editions on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Maddern said: “I’m thrilled to be returning home to Channel 7 and so happy to be going back to where it all began. I’ve had many TV roles in my 23-year career, but none more important than delivering the news.
“In the past two years, news has never had a more direct impact on our day-to-day lives. I’m honoured to be returning to the news desk to inform Melburnians about what they need to know. I’m also delighted to be teaming up with my friend Mike Amor. Mike is one of the best journalists in this country and I know we’re going to make a formidable team.”
Amor added: “Bec is not just a fantastic broadcaster and journalist, but also a dear friend, and I can’t wait to share the news desk with her. Bec will bring a deep understanding of what makes Melbourne tick, the key newsmakers and issues that matter, and the ability to cover breaking news with ease, as well as a cracking sense of humour.”
Director, Seven News Melbourne, Shaun Menegola, said: “We’re thrilled to have Bec back on the 7NEWS team where she spent 14 years reporting on major events in this state, including her coverage of the 2003 bushfires, which was recognised with a Quill Award.
“She will add even more experience to our line-up, led by Peter Mitchell, Mike Amor, Tim Watson, Jane Bunn and Jacqui Felgate.”
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17 Responses
Wasn’t Amor also presenting out of Sydney at some stage? I remember the name….
No he was US correspondent.
What a formidable duo. Both are exceptional and should do weeknights.
I really hope Blake Johnson hasn’t been boned, love him.
With Eddie’s maternity leave coming up on Sunrise, I think there’s a chance we may even see Rebecca as fill-in newsreader.
Those quotes remind me of a line from the fabulous publicist on Frontline.
‘This is television, darling. Everyone hates everybody else. That’s why we spend so much time promoting how well we all get on’
Love the way dual presenters looking at each other saying “you’re next, no its your turn” stick to single
I usually watch the non-reading presenter and expressions when the other one uses terms such as “return back”, and “reverted back”, “progressing forward”, “a specific example”, “different varieties”, “grouped together”, “fewer in number” etc. Then there’s the ‘where do I look?’, ‘should I shuffle my papers yet again?’. Hate the two-presenters concept.
Peter Mitchell told me in Nov, networks would often decide a presenter needed to appeal more to women, introduce a co-anchor, then years later change it back again.
Back in 1980 in Sydney Brian Henderson’s contract renewal with TCN9 was coming up. He saw what was happening with this new-fangled two-readers idea. Especially at TEN Eyewitness News. Whilst TEN out rated the opposition 1980-1986 in both Sydney and Melbourne he nevertheless insisted on a clause in his new contract -“No sharing news reading” – or words to that effect. Kerry P was of the view that “females can read the 1:30pm News but they don’t present sufficient authority for the main bulletin”, even though Katrina Lee, Jo Pearson and Ann Sanders were trouncing Hendo in the ratings. Kerry and Hendo shared the view “Na, it’s bloody Tim Webster the women watch, not that Sanders chick”. Female presenters seem to out number males about 20:1 now. Kerry must be spinning. And Ann Sanders? Still presenting nationally – well, in daytime.
I’ve been requesting an Ann Sanders interview from Seven for a few years now. They keep promising… but nobody ever seems to deliver.
I struggle to see why duel-presenting on weekends will work for ratings or is this succession planning?
This was exactly my thought also as on the face of it, it seems unnecessary (and they do the same in Sydney). My guess is it is 2 bits of succession planning, 1 bit of contingency planning (in case someone gets cherry picked by the competition).
Will TV networks ever decide if they want solo newsreaders or dual presenter format?
I think she will present Sports. Mike does the news
Not correct, both do news moving forward.
I wonder if she was over doing sports (Footy Show, tennis, cricket) and kind of thrust into a lot of it, even in her final years at Seven before that. She never even got to read a bulletin at Nine. News is her DNA and she’s back where I reckon she belongs, seems happy too. I guess time will tell how all this pans out and what other (if other) plans Seven have for her.