- Channel 10 has fired its top sports presenter
- The broadcaster had been with the company since 2013
- This comes amid a shift in Australian sports broadcasting
Channel 10 has parted ways with Australian rugby union legend Matt Burke.
Amid the media frenzy that has enveloped Australian sport of late, it appears Channel 10 is also making changes to its broadcast teams and has sacked the former Wallabies legend.
It turns out that Channel Seven and Channel Nine have made changes to their AFL broadcast teams, with Leigh Matthews joining the exodus at Nine, while Kane Cornes and Caroline Wilson have also moved from Channel Nine to Channel Seven.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Burk, who won the Rugby World Cup with Australia in 1999, learned of his decision last Friday and his role as chief sports presenter is due to end in December.
This will end his 11-year stint at the broadcaster, after Burke joined Channel 10 in October 2013, initially presenting 10 News First in Sydney. Burke, 51, has been hosting sports news bulletins on the network ever since.
“After more than a decade, 10 News First Sydney sports presenter Matt Burke will leave the network at the end of the year,” a Channel 10 spokesperson said.
‘Matt joined Network 10 in 2013 as an expert commentator for the 2013 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia and a few months later was appointed permanent sports presenter for 10 News First Sydney.
Channel 10 has fired Australian rugby union legend and chief sports reporter Matt Burke
The former full-back won 81 games for the Wallabies and scored 878 points at international level
Burke (right) has worked with Channel 10 since 2013 and will leave the network in December
‘Matt fronted all of Network 10’s rugby broadcasts from 2013 to 2019 and was an integral part of the Network’s live coverage of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.’
‘Matt is one of the most versatile and experienced sports presenters on Australian television and his passion and enthusiasm for sport, but particularly Rugby, is remarkable.
“His infectious love of sport, great sense of humor and optimism will be missed in the newsroom.
‘Matt leaves Network 10 with our sincere thanks and warm wishes for the future.’
During his athletic career, the versatile winger, who often played at full-back or centre, was capped by the Wallabies 81 times, scoring an impressive 878 points at international level. At national level, Burke enjoyed spells in Australia and the United Kingdom, playing for the Waratahs before joining Newcastle Falcons in 2004.
Burke, who was also capped by the Barbarians, reportedly refused to comment on his departure from Channel 10 when contacted by the Daily Telegraph.
Burke declined to comment on reports of his firing, but a network spokesperson thanked him for his work, adding that “we will miss him in the newsroom.”
The 51-year-old former rugby star learned the news on Friday
The media outlet reports that it was in contact with a senior figure at the broadcaster who claimed, speaking on condition of anonymity, that Burke had been mistreated and that colleagues were “devastated” by his departure.
‘He was treated terribly. Everyone loves Matty at Channel 10,” the source told the Daily Telegraph.
‘He is the best television professional and popular throughout the newsroom. In fact, we are devastated.
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