Q+A host Hamish Macdonald departs after 18 months

One of the ABC’s biggest names has revealed they will leave the national broadcaster.

Q+A host Hamish Macdonald is leaving the ABC after 18 months in the chair.

The TV presenter, who replaced longtime host Tony Jones last year, announced the news on Monday and said he was “excited” about moving on to a “new opportunity”.

“I am enormously grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to host Q+A and to work alongside wonderful, talented and passionate people,” he said in a statement.

“I am really proud of what we’ve achieved together during these extraordinary times.

“I’d also like to thank the incredible Q+A audience for all they contribute to this program each week. It is, after all, their show. Their questions and stories from all corners of Australia are inspiring, revealing and clever – and it has been a privilege to receive and read them.”

Q+A host Hamish Macdonald will leave the ABC after 18 months. Picture: ABC

“I’m really excited to be moving on to a new opportunity, and working more with the ABC in the future.”

He will be replaced with “a rotation of the ABC’s very best live presenters”, according to a press release.

In March, the show recorded its lowest ratings ever, with 237,000 viewers tuning in across the five city metro market compared with more than double that figure nearly a decade ago.

Macdonald, 40, has not publicly shared details surrounding his new role.

The TV host, who also occasionally appears on Channel 10’s The Project, first began hosting Q+A in February 2020.

He is credited with steering the panel discussion program through the Covid-19 pandemic.

He also guided the program through its first timeslot change in its 13-year history to 8.30pm on Thursdays.

In March, Q+A recorded its lowest ratings in history. Hamish Macdonald, Wang Xining and Vicky Xu on the ABC program.

Hamish Macdonald is also a familiar face on Channel 10’s The Project.

The ABC’s News Director Gaven Morris thanked Macdonald for his contribution to the network.

“Everyone at the ABC thanks Hamish for the incredible job he has done,” Morris said.

“At one stage during the lockdown he was presenting a live panel discussion program that wasn’t allowed to have either an audience or panellists in the studio. “His experience and versatility came to the fore. Hamish has long been a part of the ABC family and we look forward to continuing that relationship when opportunities arise.”