- Caroline Wilson leaves Channel 9 for Channel 7
- She has been part of Nine’s Footy Classified since its inception
- Kane Cornes will also join Seven’s AFL coverage in 2025 and beyond
Caroline Wilson, a veteran presenter at Channel 9, is said to be joining Kane Cornes in moving to rival Channel 7.
Wilson, who has been a fixture on Nine’s Footy Classified since its inception in 2007, has been targeted by Seven sports boss Chris Jones, reports News Corp.
Wilson joins outspoken AFL analyst and former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes, who has one week left at Nine.
The duo’s departure from the show means Craig Hutchison and Matthew Lloyd are the only members of the Monday night version of the program to remain with Nine.
Seven is determined to enhance its AFL offering for 2025 and beyond. Jones recently told Mediaweek: “Our football coverage is fantastic, but there is definitely opportunity to reach a wider audience,” Jones said.
‘I’d like to have more programming on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays next year so we can tell AFL stories and highlight them prominently on 7plus and on Seven.’
Seven is planning to create a new show around Cornes, which will likely take on Fox Footy’s Footy Classified and On The Couch on Monday nights.
Cornes, who will work on match days as well as the evening news and football programs, said he is excited about the move.
Veteran Channel 9 broadcaster Caroline Wilson (pictured) is reportedly set to follow Kane Cornes to rival Channel 7
The Port Adelaide legend recently signed to join Channel 7 in 2025 and beyond
“It was an opportunity that I was very happy about. It was too good to pass up,” he said on SEN radio.
‘It’s had a bit of a negative impact on me at Channel 9 because they’re so great and it’s such a great place to work.
‘I get along well with everyone there and I think the shows we do there are excellent.
“It was a weight off my shoulders to tell everyone like I did on Monday. I’m now going to a place where I really want to work.”
Cornes is known for stirring up tensions and may have to resolve some disputes with his new colleagues before he can take up his new position.
The 41-year-old actor recently appeared on an episode of The Howie Games Podcast with Mark Howard and told how he learned that a senior executive at Seven had told him he would never work for the network again after he brutally abused legendary Richmond presenter Trent Cotchin.
“He didn’t tell me directly, but it got through to me,” he said.
“They were really, really upset about it (the Trent Cotchin parody segment). The producers who aired that were really upset and it made me feel a little bit guilty. But yeah, that feedback did come back to me.
Wilson has been a fixture at Nine’s Footy Classified since its inception in 2007
Cornes made an infamous video mocking what he saw as Cotchin’s wooden style of play in his new role as an AFL analyst.
“We just walked in on Sunday and I had seen this Trent Cotchin video. I thought it was an average product, to be honest,” Cornes explained.
‘Yeah, Trent is new (to the media), I personally wouldn’t have put that on social media after seeing what it was, so I think they let Trent down with that. Sometimes we play tricks on each other.
‘I thought is there something we can do with this Cotchin video? I didn’t really appreciate this video. We put our brains together and we come (up with an idea), well why don’t we film you (Kane) in a similar style, let’s find the most boring play of the year and let’s recreate what happened.
“I think I said to Matt (our producer), is this outrageous? Is this too mean? And the consensus was, ‘No, it was a bit of fun.’
“Would it have been hard for Trent to watch? Possibly. Do I regret doing it? No. I would do it again.”