Erin Molan leaves Nine to join Sky News and write column for The Daily Telegraph

Popular sports journalist Erin Molan has quit her role at Channel 9 to take up new jobs, including one at a rival TV station.

Television presenter Erin Molan has left her position at Channel 9 to join rival station Sky News Australia and write a regular column for Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Molan has been appointed a Sky News Primetime Contributor, which will see her appear in a wide range of the network’s programming.

She’ll also host a new documentary focusing on online safety, and issue she has previously campaigned on.

“We are delighted to welcome Erin to Sky News,” said the network’s chief executive officer Paul Whittaker.

“Erin is a highly respected broadcaster and journalist who fiercely advocates on issues of national importance. Her insights will add new context for our discussion and opinion programs.”

Broadcaster Erin Molan. Picture: Damian Shaw/NCA NewsWire

From January of next year, Molan will also write a fortnightly column for the Telegraph.

“I am absolutely thrilled that Erin is joining our stellar team of agenda setting columnists at The Daily Telegraph,” the publication’s editor Ben English said on Friday.

“Erin is dialled in to the issues that matter to our readers, and her sharp and provocative insights will no doubt get all of Sydney and NSW talking.”

It is understood Molan will continue with her job at 2DayFM radio in addition to the new roles at Sky News and the Telegraph.

Earlier this weeks there were reports suggesting Molan was struggling to juggle the workload of Sunday NRL coverage on Nine and her radio commitments.

She recently opened up about her difficult lifestyle as a working single mum with a three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, having split from her partner, homicide Detective Sean Ogilvy.

“My biggest thing in life is I never want to look back and regret not spending the time with my daughter that she deserves and now my situation is changed a bit,” she said.

“I’m very honoured to have been asked, I’m flattered to have been considered, but the timing for me right now is not right, but down the track hopefully.”

During her career at Nine, Molan co-hosted The Footy Show, the Sunday NRL Footy Show, and anchored the sport coverage on Nine News.

She will reportedly “widen her scope” as part of her new roles.

Molan is the daughter of Liberal Party Senator Jim Molan, and has spoken about her own political aspirations. The Liberals reportedly approached her to broach the idea of her running in the key NSW seat Eden-Monaro at the upcoming federal election, though she declined.

“My biggest thing in life is I never want to look back and regret not spending the time with my daughter that she deserves and now my situation is changed a bit,” she said.

“I’m very honoured to have been asked, I’m flattered to have been considered, but the timing for me right now is not right, but down the track hopefully.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he respected her decision.

“Politics is a hard business and it’s a very tough business,” he said.

“It’s very demanding and one of my golden rules is if you’re not ready to come in, then that’s not the right time for you and I have always respected those decisions.”