Veteran Nine news boss Darren Wick calls it quits

Darren Wick, one of Nine Entertainment’s most senior journalists, has resigned following weeks of industry speculation about his position.

Darren Wick has quit as Nine Entertainment news director. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Darren Wick, one of Nine Entertainment’s most senior journalists, has resigned following weeks of industry speculation about his position at the media company.

Wick started at Nine 29 years ago and has been the national ­director of news and current affairs for the past 13 years, overseeing programs such as A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and Today.

The 60-year-old announced his departure in a staff-wide email on Friday evening.

“It’s been a privilege to work alongside such talented, inspirational and supportive people,” Wick said.

In his farewell note to staff, Wick made reference to the recent speculation about his future.

“Some of you are aware that I have taken a few weeks off to think about my future,” Wick said.

“And after many long beach walks and even longer conversations, I know in my heart that this is the right time for me to step down and leave Nine.

“But I am going to take a very long break from what has been four decades of working as a journalist. I’m tired and need a rest.”

Wick has been a revered newsroom figure at Nine for ­almost three decades (having started his career at News ­Limited), but his star dimmed in recent years following a high-range drink-driving incident in 2021 and a subsequent power play in which internal rivals attempted to unseat him from his position.

In recent weeks, Nine’s newsrooms have been abuzz with theories as to why Wick had taken extended leave.

As recently as Friday morning, Wick’s allies at Nine were insisting he wasn’t leaving the company.

One associate of Wick told The Weekend Australian the veteran was one of the last “Nine news dinosaurs” from the “good old days of the ’90s”.

A Nine spokesman declined to comment.