Veteran TV weatherman David Brown takes ‘extended leave’ from Channel 7
Meteorologist David Brown’s departure from Sydney’s Channel 7 news has sparked speculation he has been benched by the network. Is there a young gun waiting in the wings to replace him?
NSW
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Seven News weatherman David “Brownie” Brown’s absence from the evening bulletin has sparked speculation the veteran Melbourne meteorologist has packed his bags and headed home after being benched by the network.
Insiders at Seven yesterday said Brown, who has been trapped in Sydney for six months — since COVID-19 closed the Melbourne border and before — has been eager to be reunited with his family and last week was afforded the opportunity, something he would be understandably thrilled about.
“He’s taken extended leave,” we were informed.
But others claim Brown, who joined the Sydney team five years ago and has been commuting up and back at some expense each week, has been an ill fit for the Sydney bulletin.
It was originally hoped his experience might make him a nice counterpoint to the bulletin’s younger newsreader Mark Ferguson and sports anchor Mel McLaughlin, but viewers haven’t exactly warmed to him. Seven are understood to now be reassessing Brown’s contribution.
His evaporation comes a week after rumours Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac was on the move to Nine.
Money is now on Mac moving into the prime-time slot, possibly a strategic move to prevent the popular young weatherman from considering any approach from Nine’s Today show, which Nine denies.