Kate Freebairn, Max Burford to lead Channel 10 Adelaide’s new-look news bulletin

There’s a change at the Channel 10 Adelaide newsdesk with the station returning to a South Australian reading the news – but they won’t be based locally.

Kate Freebairn is Channel 10 Adelaide's new newsreader Picture: Channel 10

Channel 10 Adelaide will have a South Australian reading its weekday news bulletin for the first time in two years – but won’t be based locally.

Popular weather presenter Kate Freebairn will return from maternity leave early next year to a new role as Adelaide newsreader, while sports journalist Max Burford will take over as sports presenter.

But Freebairn will stay in Sydney with her partner, PointsBet founder Nick Fahey, and their seven-month-old daughter Airlie. She will present the Adelaide broadcast from Ten’s Sydney studio.

Freebairn said it was important to have a local face presenting the Adelaide news – after two years of bulletins anchored by Jennifer Keyte and Steven Quartermain in Melbourne – but it won’t matter where she’s based.

Kate Freebairn and Max Burford are Channel 10 Adelaide's new newsreader and sports presenter. Picture: Channel 10.,

“I think having that local Adelaide knowledge is so important,” Freebairn said. “We are so parochial in SA and I consider myself to be South Australian forever. I think that will really show in our bulletins.

“Sydney is the best place to be for my partner’s work, but we both love South Australia.

“(But) whether I’m in the studio in Sydney or in Adelaide it won’t make a difference to our product. It just allows me to be here with my family but also allows Ten to have a local presenter that the audience is familiar with.”

In August 2020, Network 10 announced longtime newsreader Rebecca Morse and sports presenter Will Goodings were being axed in favour of a bulletin presented from Melbourne, as part of sweeping changes across their news department.

The station has maintained a local newsroom with Adelaide journalists, camera crews and producers, including Burford.

Freebairn kept her position but was moved to Melbourne where she presented weather for Melbourne and Adelaide’s weekday bulletins, before going on maternity leave.

She said taking on the newsreading role full-time was a “dream come true”.

“I’ve been doing the weather for eight years so it’ll be a nice change for me to do something different and to step up into a bigger role,” Freebairn said.

Burford said presenting sport would be an “unreal experience”.

“While I fell a (very) long way short of any professional sporting career, to report on what I love and call it work is a true honour and dream opportunity,” he said. “I can’t wait to get out and about, bringing everyone the latest sport news from our iconic venues around Adelaide.”

Head of Ten’s broadcast news, Martin White, said he was thrilled to have Freebairn and Burford leading their Adelaide’s coverage.

“Local stories are at the heart of 10 News First,” he said. “We pride ourselves on journalism that matters to people, and that’s exactly what we deliver.”