Denham Hitchcock resigns from Seven to start very different adventure

After 28 years as a TV journalist, Denham Hitchcock has just resigned from Seven – and he’s embarking on a very different adventure.

Australia’s great resignation of on-air TV talent is continuing into 2023, with Seven reporter Denham Hitchcock revealing he’s resigned from the network.

But he hasn’t defected to a rival network – instead, Hitchock’s taking a break from his 28 years as a TV journalist because “the ocean is calling once more” and he intends to sail the around the Pacfic Ocean on his boat.

The 46-year-old declared that the new year meant a “new start” in a recent Instagram post.

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Hitchcock has resigned from Channel Seven.

The ultra-fit TV journo is going to hit the seas.

“This is normally where people say they need to spend more time with their family, and that is certainly true, my girls are everything to me, but there’s other reasons,” he wrote, announcing his resignation from Seven. Hitchock and wife Mari share a young daughter, Kaia.

“In my 28 years as a TV journalist I’ve worked in 7 different newsrooms in three countries. Predominantly, doing stories about terrible things that happen to good people, and each of those stories left an impact. There’s only one lesson from them, time waits for no one, and dreams shouldn’t be left on the pillow,” he continued.

Hitchcock and family on the boat he's preparing to "cross oceans."

“The ocean is calling once more and this salty boat life needs further exploring, in the Pacific Islands, and potentially beyond.”

Hitchcock frequently posts photos and videos from on-board his boat on social media – the most recent showing him completing a workout as his daughter climbs on him.

Hitchcock works out on his boat.

Why lift weights when you can lift your toddler?

He continued by highlighting his most recent work at Seven’s Spotlight documentary series.

“14 programs, 10 of them – one hour shows, most of those with me as researcher, producer and reporter. That’s a show every 1.5 months – and number 15 will be out this year.”

Hitchock said he wasn’t giving up his career for good and would be freelancing, “but predominantly I’ll be preparing our floating home to cross oceans – the last great wilderness.”

Hitchcock’s resignation from Seven follows a “mass exodus” of Australian TV journalists and presenters quitting their jobs in the second half of last year, among them Project stars Carrie Bickmore, Peter Helliar and Lisa Wilkinson, A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw, and the ABC’s Leigh Sales.