‘Grow Up’: Ten News+’s Denham Hitchcock fires back at viewer backlash on Instagram

10 News+ host Denham Hitchcock is taking things into his own hands, hitting back at viewers critical of his new show - even calling one of them a ‘tool’.

10 News+ host Denham Hitchcock is taking things into his own hands by hitting back at viewers who are critical of his new show and thanking audiences who are enjoying it.

While Ten are yet to give the hosts a chance to respond directly to journalists queries regarding the program’s lacklustre performance, Hitchcock isn’t shying away from viewer feedback and is responding to them.

Some are loving the program, like Instagram user Farm Kat who said: “Guess I gotta switch from seven. Your reporting style is honest and real,” to which Hitchcock responded: “That’s the spirit”.

And Hitchcock is even receptive to viewers assessments of his performance, like Miss Wander Woman who asked him to “loosen up and not be so serious”, to which he responded: “Sure.”

However others have been more brutal with their feedback and Hitchcock has fired back, even referring to one person as a “tool”.

One viewer accused him of airing “fake news”, to which he immediately responded: “Which stories have you seen on this program that have been fake”.

10 News+ hosts Amelia Brace and Denham Hitchcock. Picture: 10 News

Denham Hitchcock responds to Instagram critics in the comments of posts on his Instagram page.

They didn’t respond.

Talking-honeydog asked Hitchcock: “How are we supposed to believe you @denhamhitchcock. You were vaccine injured and decided to take s (sic) payout over the truth! At a time when millions of people needed popular voices to tell the truth … you tried … then took off on your yacht.”

Denham Hitchcock, with co-host Walkley Award-winning journalist Amelia Brace, is hitting back at viewers who are critical of his new show. Picture: 10 News

It hit a nerve with Hitchcock, who was hospitalised with a rare condition called pericarditis following the first of his two Pfizer jabs.

He responded by saying: “What payout you tool? I quit my job and went sailing to spend time with my family. I am still looking into all this – I just don’t believe everything I read like you do. It takes time to prove this stuff. Not just rant. Grow up.”

It’s uncommon for reporters to directly engage with viewer feedback on social media.

Most journalists maintain a professional distance from public commentary, allowing network PR teams or audience engagement staff to handle it.

Hitchcock’s co-host Amelia Brace hasn’t responded to any positive or negative comments on her Instagram site.

It comes as ratings figures shows 10 News+ this week fell to 20th on a list of the nation’s news programs, with an average of just 140,000.