With a new Executive Producer and a move to Melbourne, there are going to be some significant changes to the ABC’s Q&A program next year.
And TV Blackbox can exclusively reveal one of the biggest changes will be having two hosts sharing the one role. Inside sources have confirmed David Speers will be front-and-centre as the main host, while Hamish McDonald will be used as Speers’ back-up.
Unlike his predecessor Tony Jones who hosted the program weekly, Speers will not be available fulltime. The highly respected political reporter is expected to take on a number of ‘special projects’ at the ABC.
Speers will also host, and be involved with the production of the Sunday morning talkfest Insiders. The ABC confirmed Speers as the replacement for Barrie Cassidy earlier this year, but has been reluctant to expand further on his new role while he was still under contract with Sky News.
Speers will finish up at Sky News this week and is currently in the process of moving his family from Canberra to Melbourne. His decision to quit his highly-paid political editor role at the subscription news service, surprised his News Corp employers earlier this year. It’s understood his move to the ABC has involved a pay-cut.
Hamish McDonald is currently seen on Channel 10 every Sunday as co-host of The Sunday Project. He has also been a regular fill-in host of Q&A this year, and has been hosting RN Breakfast since mid-year.
The Australian recently reported McDonald was set to score the hosting role of Q&A after impressing ABC insiders. It’s unclear whether he will continue with 10.
Along with a move to Melbourne to accommodate Speer’s new location (Insiders is produced from there) Q&A will have a new executive producer next year. Erin Vincent will be running the show in 2020, replacing founding EP Peter McEvoy.
Vincent was formally the EP of Insiders and News Breakfast.
For their part, the ABC says;
The presenting arrangements are still being worked out for next year and nothing has been decided.
Time will tell. Just remember you read it here first!
Just so long as the ABC has two white guys doing the job of one white guy, that’s great news.
They claim to be the home of diversity, reflective of Australia’s broad culture – total bollocks!
And not this has been proven incorrect with Hamish confirmed as the main host. Revision in order I would assume?
Have to admit my sources were slightly off on this one (or maybe something changed?). I’d like to think we have a pretty good track record though with our exclusives.