Cameron Williams resigns from role on Nine Network news bulletin

Channel 9 veteran Cameron Williams has abruptly resigned from his role presenting sport on the network’s nightly news bulletin. Find out why.

Veteran sports presenter Cameron Williams has suddenly resigned from Channel Nine’s nightly news bulletin.

The 59-year-old veteran of four decades in television had mysteriously disappeared three weeks ago, despite recently signing a new three-year deal at the network.

He wrote an email to staff on Wednesday: “I have struggled for years with increasingly poor health.”

Colleagues have been kept in the dark but revealed Williams had Covid at the beginning of the month but was cleared to return to work last week.

A Nine source confirmed Williams had resigned.

9 Network sport presenter Cameron Williams.

He had been in the role since the retirement of broadcasting legend Ken Sutcliffe in 2016.

Williams has previously world at Fox Sports and Channel 7.

Under his recently negotiated contract, Williams was to read Sunday to Thursday night sports segments alongside Peter Overton with James Bracey taking over on Friday and Saturday nights.

In his absence, Bracey has moved to the weeknight sports anchor role, with Emma Lawrence filling in on the weekend bulletins.

Nine’s director of news Darren Wick emailed staff on Wednesday morning following enquiries from The Daily Telegraph.

“Cameron Williams has resigned from his role with NINE as on-air sports presenter,” he wrote, “Cam is leaving us to focus on his health and then to pursue other opportunities that we look forward to hearing more about.

“I want to thank Cam for his significant contribution to Nine over the past six years. Cam’s last day was 21 March 2022. Please join us in wishing him all the very best.”

Cameron Williams replaced Ken Sutcliffe in 2016. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Williams replied to the email and wrote: “It’s with a heavy heart I have decided to resign from Nine. Leaving the best team in News is difficult and being part of that team an honour.

“But I have struggled for years with increasingly poor health and I want to address that now for the sake of a more important team, my family. I want to thank Wickie for making this process possible.

“He has kindly offered me a goodbye lunch so I can pay tribute to those who helped me along the way, over 15 years total.”

There was speculation from Nine sources that Williams had been involved in a verbal exchange with an executive last week about his future. Williams, when contacted by The Daily Telegraph, insisted the decision was made solely around his health battles.

It was a huge decision for the broadcaster considering he has children aged nine and 12.

Williams said he was keen to explore other media opportunities once his health was back on track.

Nine will decide between Lawrence and Roz Kelly as a weekend sports presenter to work alongside Bracey.

The departure of Williams comes amid speculation about the future of 78-year-old NRL commentator Ray Warren, who has not called a game this year.

Originally published as Cameron Williams resigns from role on Nine Network news bulletin