Surprising new Melbourne Channel 7 newsreader revealed

An ex-ABC newsreader romantically linked to 3AW footy hound Sam McClure and who shockingly left the broadcaster last year will next week join Melbourne’s high-profile presenting team.

Former ABC news presenter Karina Carvalho has joined the Channel 7 newsroom. Picture: Supplied/Channel 7

AN ex-ABC newsreader recently rumoured to be romantically linked to 3AW footy hound Sam McClure is moving to Melbourne to join Channel 7 news.

Karina Carvalho exited the ABC in December after 17 years with a report at the time suggesting she had concerns about the national broadcaster’s editorial direction.

Starting Monday, she will take on a presenting and reporting role with 7News Melbourne.

The roles of current presenters Peter Mitchell, Rebecca Maddern and Mike Amor remain unchanged.

Carvalho joins Seven at a time when new national new boss Anthony De Ceglie has put a broom through the network’s news departments and introduced innovations such as a comedy segment in the Friday night bulletin and a daily horoscope report.

One of the more controversial recent departures from Seven was that of Brisbane newsreader Sharyn Ghidella who was told her job was no more after 17 years via a phone call while was at the hairdressers earlier this month.

Sam McClure is reportedly in a “slow burn” romance with Carvalho. Picture: Mathew Lynn

Carvalho, who was based in Sydney, has relocated to Melbourne for the 7News opportunity.

In December the Herald Sun reported she was in a “slow burn” romance with 3AW and Nine radio’s McClure.

Carvalho turned frosty on Friday when asked about her rumoured connection with McClure.

“I have been in the media for 20 years and I have never talked about my private life in an interview so I am not going to start now,” she said.

McClure also declined to comment.

Having previously lived in Melbourne when she was part of ABC News Breakfast, Carvalho is well versed with the city.

She already has an AFL team – Carlton.

“I absolutely love Melbourne. To join the Seven family is a real honour for me,” she said.

Carvalho described her new role as bolstering the reporting and presenting stocks in the Melbourne newsroom.

Former ABC news presenter Karina Carvalho says she loves Melbourne and is excited to start working at Seven. Picture: Supplied/Channel 7

“I think across the board at Seven they are looking to do more news, not less news,” she said.

“Critical to that is having those skills to be able to host rolling coverage and given that is where all of my recent experience lies, in hosting national rolling news, I think I bring those critical skills.

“I am beyond encouraged by the direction that Anthony on a national basis and Chris Salter in Melbourne are taking the Melbourne newsroom.”

Carvalho started her career with the ABC in Perth before having stints in Melbourne, Brisbane and recently in Sydney.

She married high-flying IBM executive Terry Sweeney in 2015 on a beach in Carvalho’s homeland Sri Lanka, but they split in 2019.

“I recently froze my eggs,” Carvalho said in 2022.

“I’m a divorced woman who’s now in her 40s and I don’t have children. I don’t know that I ever will, but I want to give myself as many options as possible in case it’s something that I decide I want.”