Channel Nine turned Clint Stanaway’s final Weekend Today broadcast into a painfully drawn out two hour tribute.
Viewers were left cringing as colleague after colleague delivered emotional messages that even Stanaway himself insisted were unnecessary.
The 42-year-old presenter, who is leaving the network after 25 years to focus on breakfast radio at Nova, fronted Weekend Today for the last time on Sunday.
What followed was a marathon two-hour tribute packed with sentimental messages, montage reels and surprise shout-outs that even Stanaway seemed embarrassed by.
Almost every presenter who had ever shared a desk, corridor or live cross with Stanaway appeared in pre-recorded messages, praising the long-serving journo as the heart and soul of the newsroom.
Producers rolled out one colleague after another in a relentless parade of gushy farewells.
Channel Nine turned Clint Stanaway’s final Weekend Today broadcast into a painfully drawn out two hour tribute. (Pictured centre)
The 42-year-old presenter, who announced in September he was leaving to focus on his growing breakfast radio career at Nova, fronted Weekend Today for the final time on Sunday
Melbourne newsreader Alicia Loxley declared him her ‘work husband’, while Tom Steinfort filmed a bleary-eyed home video from bed.
Richard Wilkins even appeared with a few dad jokes before signing off with, ‘Everybody loves you Stanners, we will miss you buddy.’
The endless praise even left Stanaway squirming, prompting him to lean towards the camera at one point and insist, ‘I am not dying.’
Viewers quickly took to X to share their confusion.
‘The ‘tribute’ is a bit over the top,’ wrote one viewer.
‘He’s 42 and will be working for another 20 years. Solid prediction – he’ll be back on your TV screens sooner rather than later, maybe even back at Ch9,’ they continued.
But while Stanaway was being farewelled like one of Nine’s biggest stars, another longtime presenter was quietly being shown the door.
Amber Sherlock was let go late last week as part of Nine’s latest cost cutting drive, with the move kept so quiet that viewers only realised she was gone when she abruptly vanished from the November 11 bulletin.
Almost every presenter who had ever shared a desk, corridor or live cross with Stanaway appeared in pre-recorded messages, praising the long serving journo as the heart and soul of the newsroom
Her departure was acknowledged just once on air, on November 12, when Georgie Gardner went off script in the final moments of the 6pm news to confirm one of the network’s worst kept secrets.
Deviating from her usual news script, Gardner wished Sherlock well and referred to her as ‘valued member’ of the team.
‘Before we go tonight, we’d like to extend a farewell to our colleague Amber Sherlock,’ Gardner began.
‘For a number of years, Amber has been a valued member of the news team, bringing us our daily weather reports on behalf of Nine News,’ she continued.
‘I’d like to thank Amber for her contribution, and we wish her and her family all the very best.’
Gardner then returned to her standard sign-off, saying: ‘That is 9News for this Wednesday. Ali’s next with the Current Affair. I’m Georgie Gardner.’
Sherlock’s future at Channel Nine first came into question when the TV presenter was mysteriously absent from last Monday evening’s broadcast amid the network’s latest redundancy bloodbath.
The long-time 9News anchor and weathergirl – made famous by a viral dispute over a white jacket – was replaced in her usual slot by reporter Sophie Walsh with no explanation given for Sherlock’s no-show.
Newsroom insiders insisted at that time she was ‘gone’.
Her departure was acknowledged just once on air, on November 12, when Georgie Gardner went off script in the final moments of the 6pm news to confirm one of the network’s worst kept secrets
Sherlock who had been with Nine since 2007, is one of dozens of staffers axed as the network enacts its latest, brutal round of redundancies.
A network insider told Daily Mail on Monday that Sherlock’s hefty pay packet could have factored into a decision to dump the journalist from her plum weather role at Nine.
‘She’s paid loads of dough so it makes sense,’ the source explained.
‘She was meant to do the afternoon weather but then Soph (Sophie Walsh) suddenly filled in.’
Nine did not deny that Sherlock was out of a job when approached by Daily Mail.
A spokesperson said that the network will not discuss the employment status of any individuals at this stage, as the media giant cuts 50 roles.
Nine did, however, confirm a restructure was underway in order to drive ‘commercial growth’.
The company expected to cut jobs in newsrooms across the country, including its Queensland bureaus.
Sherlock’s future at Channel Nine first came into question when the TV presenter was mysteriously absent last Monday evening’s broadcast amid the network’s latest redundancy bloodbath
‘We have today commenced consultation with some team members, whose roles within Nine’s Streaming and Broadcast division are impacted by our new operating model,’ the Nine spokesperson said.
‘The new operating model formally brings together teams across Stan, Channel 9 and 9Now. It is designed to reduce duplication, drive greater collaboration and deliver commercial growth for Nine, while working to offset the challenging external advertising market.’
Although up to 50 roles are being made redundant, the total number of staffers departing the network is expected to be lower, as new roles are being created, while some staff will be redeployed to other positions.
There are additionally vacant positions which won’t be filled and contracts that aren’t being renewed.
Nine has been slashing staff numbers since last year as part of an earlier $30million cost-cutting plan for the business.
That initiative saw 200 job cuts announced in June 2024.
Nine Entertainment chief executive Mike Sneesby last year explained that the job cuts are vital to the network’s progress amid a larger restructure that will see increased opportunities to expand in the streaming space.
‘In order for us to be able to keep investing in digital growth opportunities across Nine, we must continue to responsibly manage costs through the cycle,’ Sneesby said in a statement.
Sherlock made headlines across the globe in 2017 thanks to her infamous ‘jacketgate’ row with fellow reporter Julie Snook (left)
The leaked footage showed her demanding Julie put on a jacket so the two women were not both wearing white on screen
Sherlock made headlines across the globe in 2017 thanks to her infamous ‘jacketgate’ row with fellow reporter Julie Snook.
The leaked footage showed her demanding Julie put on a jacket so the two women were not both wearing white on screen.
Speaking to her producer, Amber said: ‘I need Julie to put a jacket on because we’re all in white. I asked her before we came on… Julie you need to put a jacket on.’
Snook defended herself, insisting she had not had time to change out of her outfit.
But Sherlock refused to back down, replying: ‘Come on I told you two hours ago.’
Her fellow 9 News reporter apologised and said she had been ‘flat out’ and had not had time to switch into a different colour.
A furious Sherlock had no time for her apology and continued to demand she get changed before going live.
Sherlock later revealed exactly what led her to demand her co-host ‘go and grab a jacket,’ during the leaked off-air incident.
In a tell-all interview with The Daily Telegraph, the seasoned reporter admitted she ‘possibly overreacted,’ after getting upset at Julie for wearing the same colour outfit, before citing stress, tiredness and the hot weather in defence of her actions.
It wasn’t until the nation shared their opinions on talk-back radio, and even late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel weighed in, that she began to realise the seriousness of the situation.
‘I am the first to put up my hand and say that for whatever reason – I was stressed, I was tired, I possibly overreacted, there are better ways to deal with it,’ she admitted.
The journalist also claimed the high-pressure news environment meant the presenters didn’t get a chance to talk anything through.
‘Julie was fine with it, I was fine with it. Everyone has their opinions, but if you look at the tape, I feel everyone massively overreacted,’ she explained.
Amber stopped short of apologising directly to Julie for the incident in the interview, but offered heartfelt examples to explain her mindset.
Sherlock, 49, who had been with Nine since 2007, is one of dozens of staffers axed as the network enacts its latest, brutal round of redundancies
‘I think I’m a kind, generous person. I am a mum, I have a family. And I was devastated.
‘I am only human at the end of the day, and I think people forget that,’ she added.
The media offered strongly-worded criticisms of the veteran reporter, with news.com.au writing ‘Amber Sherlock has become an international laughing stock,’ in the event’s aftermath.
Despite calls from the public to have Amber fired, Channel Nine stood behind the embattled presenter, who continued on with the network.
Sherlock began her career at the Seven Network in Sydney, with her early years spent in finance journalism with roles at Seven, Channel Ten and Sky News.
She joined Nine in 2007, presenting business segments for the Today show, where, by 2009, she became the breakfast show’s weekend news presenter.
Since 2011, Sherlock had worked as both a news anchor and weather presenter at Nine.
