Hamish Macdonald has been revealed as the new host of Sydney Mornings on ABC Radio.
He will replace Sarah Macdonald after she was unceremoniously dumped by the national broadcaster late last year.
Macdonald will host the program four days a week while journalist Kathryn Robinson will helm the show on Friday.
‘First and foremost I’d like to pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of Sarah Macdonald,’ Macdonald said. ‘I know these are big shoes to fill.’
‘I’m looking forward to putting my head down, getting to work from Monday and serving the wonderful 702 audience in what will be a huge year of news for Sydney.’
His reference to 702 is ABC Radio Sydney’s wavelength on the dial.
Speculation had been mounting Macdonald was set to become the new host following revelations his namesake’s contract would not be renewed.
Richard Glover, Simon Marnie and Robbie Buck were also told they wouldn’t have their contracts extended into 2025.
Ben Latimer, ABC’s head of audio told ABC staff in a statement at the time that the changes were ‘driven by rapidly evolving audience expectations’.
Hamish Macdonald has been revealed as the new host of Sydney Mornings on ABC Radio
‘Change is never easy and of course the impact on some of our colleagues is difficult,’ he wrote.
He added the decisions for the 2025 roster have been ‘carefully thought through and discussed’ and noted the ABC is ‘navigating a period of significant transition’.
In other changes to the Radio Sydney roster, Dom Knight will host Friday Drive and Saturday Mornings, while science and technology journalist Rae Johnston will present Sunday Mornings.
The station’s recently appointed manager Katrina Palmer said it is deeply connected to Sydney audiences.
‘In 2025 we will build on these connections in new and meaningful ways and I’m eager to get started from ABC Radio Sydney’s new home in Parramatta,’ she said.
Sarah Macdonald announced her ‘disappointment’ in departing from the ABC, telling her audience live on air that ‘I’m not going to be on the radio with you next year.
‘The ABC has decided not to renew my contract here at Mornings … I am proud of what I’ve done.
‘The ratings are up, I’ve broken lots of stories, had the first interview with the new governor general, I got the premier of New South Wales to regularly take your calls, led the election coverage, led the move to our Parramatta studios.’
Signage is seen at the ABC offices in Ultimo, Sydney. It has announced many changes for 2025
Former Media Watch host Paul Barry took to social media at the time to express his disbelief at Macdonald’s parting after decades of service.
‘IMHO (In My Honest Opinion) she’s brilliant, one of the best things on radio. WTAF,’ Barry wrote in a post to X.
Morning show rival Ray Hadley also praised Macdonald.
‘I don’t know Sarah Macdonald but I do know one thing about her, she’s a quality broadcaster and I would say that quality broadcasters are in short supply at the ABC,’ he told listeners.
Beloved presenter Simon Marnie’s emotional final show after three decades of presenting was attended by hundreds outside Government House in Sydney in early December.
Among those in attendance was Robbie Buck, who similarly didn’t have his contract renewed, Governor-General Sam Mostyn and NSW Governor Margaret Beazley.
Buck told Marnie ‘we love you … we’re going to miss you’, before quietly announcing he would too be leaving Aunty on his show later that night.
‘I wanted to say a big thank you’, Governor-General Mostyn told Marnie.
