Paul Burt, the veteran Channel Seven weatherman, has broken his silence after being fired by the network.
The Queensland presenter was recently sacked by Seven after almost three decades in the industry as part of a cost-cutting drive.
Burt told The courier post He was enjoying a weekend away in Melbourne when he received a phone call telling him to come into the office the next day.
“I felt sick straight away. I don’t have many weekends off, so that threw a spanner in the works,” he admitted.
‘When I got back to the studio, a few of my colleagues had already been fired that morning, so I knew what to expect.’
Burt admitted he was “shocked and embarrassed” by the news and lashed out at network bosses who offered him “no leniency” in firing him.
Burt hosted his final weather segment on Saturday and took aim at the network during his closing.
“If I had the chance, I wouldn’t have wanted this. That’s what happens when you get fired,” he said at the end of the 6 p.m. news.
Veteran Channel Seven weatherman Paul Burt has broken his silence after being fired by the network
The bulletin then switched awkwardly to a montage of Paul presenting clips from the past few years.
During his long media career he has worked for Ten, Nine and Seven.
It comes after veteran Channel Seven presenter Sharyn Ghidella was also fired from the network earlier this month after almost four decades in the news industry.
Ghidella, 58, the face of Seven News in Queensland since 2007, confirmed the news in a fiery post on Facebook.
She said she finally got her “tap on the shoulder” while she was at the salon, admitting it was a relief after the stressful weeks of media layoffs.
Burt told The Courier Mail he was enjoying a weekend away in Melbourne when he received a phone call telling him to come into the office the next day.
But she was determined not to go quietly, criticizing the failing network for prioritizing gimmicks like astrology readings over retaining experienced talent.
“When you work in television as long as I have, not a day goes by without expecting the proverbial tap on the shoulder… After 38 years, it’s finally here,” Ghidella began.
‘It wasn’t quite how I expected it to turn out at Channel Seven.
‘I was at work at the hairdresser’s when I got the call that my time at the network was up. After 17 years, it was over.’
Ghidella went on to say that her recent time at the network had been “miserable” and that she was glad to be out the door.
“While I am somewhat saddened by this decision, there is also a sense of relief. As has been widely reported, the last few weeks on TV have unfortunately been a miserable affair,” she wrote.
Burt hosted his final weather segment on Saturday and took aim at the network during his closing
‘A long list of talented, loyal and dedicated employees have been shown the door, in what seems to have been a never-ending process of slowly removing the band-aid on the wound, when it comes to removing what was perceived as excess inventory.
“These people are some of the best content creators in the business. They’re good people and it’s heartbreaking to watch.”
Ghidella added that she is not a fan of the new name the network is giving to its news programs. Comedian Mark Humphries will do a comedy sketch tonight at 6:57 p.m., and “Astro Tash” will begin next week with an astrology report.
“I’m not one to be fed the evening news with humor and horoscopes, so frankly it’s time to go,” Ghidella sneered.
This comes after veteran Channel Seven presenter Sharyn Ghidella (pictured) was also axed from the network earlier this month after almost four decades in the news industry.
“As I sometimes say, the caravan moves on. There is certainly still plenty of talent in the building and I wish them nothing but the best moving forward.”
She concluded her merciless message by thanking the many friends she had made during her long career at the network.
‘A sincere thank you to everyone who has made this possible so far, including former employers such as the Stokes, Packer and Gleeson families and the news directors, executive producers and station managers who felt it necessary to give a child from Babinda [in rural Queensland] a go. I owe you so much.
“Then there are the viewers… You will never know how much your kindness and support means. What a privilege it is to be welcomed into your homes to present you with the news of the day,” she added.
Robert Ovadia (pictured) has announced he will take Seven to the Fair Work Commission for unfair dismissal
Seven has been hit by a cost-cutting bloodbath as the network’s news division comes under new management.
Three notable names who have recently left the network are veterans Robert Ovadia, Andrew Frampton and seasoned Melbourne crime reporter Cameron Baud, known among friends as the ‘Harvester of Sorrow’ for his gritty news reporting.
In Sydney, Ovadia, perhaps the highest-profile of all the figures sacked prior to Ghidella’s dismissal, has announced that he will take Seven to the Fair Work Commission for unfair dismissal.
Ny Breaking Australia revealed that Ovadia allegedly sent a series of strange, manipulated images to a young female reporter before he was dumped.