‘Already been done’: Tony Armstrong addresses Media Watch controversy during last day with ABC News Breakfast

ABC presenter Tony Armstrong has addressed the recent moonlighting controversy with a cheeky joke during an emotional send off for his last day.

Tony Armstrong has addressed the moonlighting controversy during his last day as a presenter at ABC News Breakfast, saying he’s “already been done by Media Watch”.

The former AFL player and Logie winner earlier announced his last day would be Friday after working with the network since 2020, when he joined as a fill-in sports presenter.

The Gamilaroi man began full-time work in 2021 and has since gone on to win the Graham Kennedy Award at the 2022 Logie Awards for most popular new talent as well as the 2023 Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter.

The News Breakfast team gave him flowers and a big tin of coffee during his final broadcast, with Armstrong joking he wouldn’t name the coffee brand before back pedalling.

“We won’t name the brand … Actually I don’t care, I’ve already been done by Media Watch — Nescafe!” Armstrong laughed.

The joke comes after it was revealed Armstrong had worked on private NRMA insurance adverts without getting permission from the ABC.

The ABC’s Media Watch host Janine Perrett spoke of the controversy in Monday’s episode.

“It’s a shame this moonlighting at the expense of the ABC’s integrity is what we’re talking about in his final week on News Breakfast,” Perrett said.

Tony Armstrong has finished up with ABC News Breakfast. Picture: ABC

Armstrong was given an emotional send off on Friday. Picture: News Breakfast/ABC

Dylan Alcott appeared on ABC News Breakfast on Friday morning where he said he is “very lucky to have (Armstrong) as a friend”, which appeared to make Armstrong emotional.

“People know him as this funny, charming, great, incredibly it is job, but he’s a beautiful person, and I’m very lucky to have him as a friend,” Alcott said.

“The reason he got nominated for a Gold Logie and is dominating this is not because he is a champion football player, not because he is Indigenous, but because he is very good at what he does, at his job.”

Armstrong thanked the ABC News Breakfast team in his final goodbye, saying “it takes a village” to get the show on air.

“Look at this team around me. This is everyone that makes this show work. We are just the lucky presenters that get to go out there and present all of the hard work,” Armstrong said.

“It takes a village. We do it understaffed and under resourced, and every day everybody rocks up with a smile on their face doing the work of four or five people.

“So yes, I’m just an instrument that is part of a team.”

ABC News Breakfast host Michael Rowland wished Armstrong all the best in a post to Instagram on Friday morning.

“He’s the real deal, and I very much look forward to seeing what’s next for this superstar,” Rowland wrote.

“Go well, Tony!”

Armstrong said he would “miss everyone”, and that his time with the ABC had been a “whirlwind”.

“Mixed feelings. You can tell by my body language, I don’t like talking about myself too much, despite being in a career where I’m in front of a camera,” Armstrong said on ABC News Breakfast.

“It’s been such a whirlwind three years. Believe it or not, I was nervous when I started.

“It didn’t last long. But yeah, that wasn’t all that long ago. And yeah, News Breakfast has given me everything, really. It’s given me … It’s given me a joy ride!”

Armstrong has been working for the ABC since 2020. Picture: News Breakfast/ABC

Armstrong also said his time with the program had given him “so many lovely memories”.

“I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in today to be able to walk out on my own terms, and into whatever is next,” he said.

“I don’t really know exactly what it is yet … I’m just very thankful to everyone who watches and everyone who said such nice things to me across the course of this week particularly.

“It’s been a funny old week. But yeah, people have been really, really nice to me.”

When asked if the “nice people outweigh the horrible people”, Armstrong said “of course”.

“I’m going to miss the News Breakfast family. And as we all know, Steph, and Michael, you guys know — it is more than just the people out here,” he said.

“We’ve got a bunch of producers and everyone, directors, people on autocue, who are doing the work of four or five people. And everyone does it so well.”

Originally published as ‘Already been done’: Tony Armstrong addresses Media Watch controversy during last day with ABC News Breakfast