Johanna Griggs to depart Seven’s House Rules

Johanna Griggs has quit as host of Seven Network’s home renovation show House Rules after seven years.

Johanna Griggs has quit as host of Seven Network’s home renovation show House Rules after seven years. Picture: Supplied

Johanna Griggs has quit as host of Seven Network’s home renovation show House Rules after seven years.

Her departure comes a day after rival Network Ten parted ways with MasterChef Australia judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris.

The television personality and former swimmer announced her departure from House Rules on social media platform Instagram on Wednesday night, but confirmed she will remain host of Seven’s long-running Better Homes and Garden program.

“After a great deal of consideration, I recent sat down with the Network to ask to be allowed to step down as Host of House Rules. They have very graciously agreed for me to do that, which I’m incredibly appreciative of,” Griggs said in her lengthy post.

As House Rules heads into preproduction for season eight, Griggs said it was the “perfect time to hand over the role to someone who will take the show in S8”.

With a lighter workload, Griggs said she would be in a “better position to take up one or two of the great opportunities that come my way, especially with 7 Sport, which is such a passion for me”.

Griggs has been host of Better Homes and Gardens since 2005, taking over from actor Noni Hazlehurst.

A Seven spokesman declined to comment on Griggs’ departure.

The finale of House Rules on Tuesday night was watched by 730,000 viewers across the nation’s five major metropolitan cities: its lowest result to date. On the same night, the crowning of the winner of the 11th season of MasterChef was watched by 992,000 people across the five cities.

Just a few hours before the MasterChef finale, Ten announced Preston, Mehigan and Calombaris would not return as judges next year after failing to reach a “commercial agreement”.