How news of Tim Watson’s upcoming departure from Channel 7 was accidentally spilt too soon

Channel 7 veteran Tim Watson will take his leave from the network – but the news was dropped a bit sooner than Watson was planning.

Tim Watson, pictured with Peter Mitchell and Jane Bunn, will depart Channel 7. Picture: Supplied

Tim Watson will depart Channel 7 at the end of the year with the news of the sporting great’s exit from the network accidentally revealed on radio by a close friend.

Luke Darcy confirmed Watson was calling time on his 13 years reading sport for Seven News in Melbourne while roasting his colleague Nathan Brown on Triple M’s Friday Huddle.

“I am going to drop another little bomb here and that is … Tim ‘Whispy’ Watson is about to finish up at the Seven network,” Darcy told the Triple M audience on Friday.

“So there is a little bomb for you. This is Kerry Stokes’ favourite ever media person, Tim Watson.”

Tim Watson with Nick Riewoldt and Luke Darcy. Picture: Supplied

His flabbergasted Huddle colleagues then asked if Watson was aware that Darcy was going to reveal his exit from Seven – which is yet to be officially announced by the network – on Triple M which then saw Darcy start quickly back-pedalling.

“That may have been an off-air conversation,” Darcy said, possibly realising he had confirmed one of the biggest rumours to have been circulating in local media circles this year.

“Let’s forget that part … let’s forget that …. we are going to move on from that part.”

He then asked Nathan Brown, “now that spot (Watson’s) is available would you send your show reel in?”

“I don’t have a show reel and no I wouldn’t,” Brown replied.

“Hmmm I am getting waved off everywhere here,” Darcy said of his foot in mouth moment, before apologising to Watson.

“Sorry Whispy, one of the most loved people at Channel 7.”

The news was spilt a little earlier than Watson had planned. Picture: Supplied

Seven, as usual, declined to comment when asked yet again about pending changes to the Seven Melbourne newsdesk.

Meanwhile Watson told SEN radio on Tuesday when asked about the rumours of his exit from Seven’s sports reading duties: “I haven’t been told I can talk about that.”

It has been rumoured the current weekend newsreader Rebecca Maddern could move into Watson’s role next year.