After 17 years behind the mic with the national broadcaster, Fran Kelly has announced that she will be leaving RN Breakfast on December 2nd.
On air on Thursday, Kelly said choosing to leave the role she’s had since 2005 was the hardest decision she has ever made. “I’ve been in this role for 17 years and I have loved every second of it. Each morning is an adrenalin-fuelled, non-stop live ride interviewing some of the greatest and most interesting minds in Australia and the world. I thrive on the thrill of both setting the day’s news agenda and engaging in the public discussions we have as a society.
“Presenting RN Breakfast is the best journalism job in the country and it is very hard to walk away from it. But Breakfast is a hard taskmaster – 17 years of early mornings is tough on the body and soul and I am choosing to leave now because I never want to give this job any less than 100 per cent.”
ABC managing director David Anderson said “Fran is no doubt one of Australia’s most respected political journalists but she’s so much more than that.
“I admire her ability to engage Australians in important conversations across a wide brief, from breaking news and national crises through to sport, music and the arts. She’s fearless when it comes to the tough political issues but also incredibly empathetic when talking to people about their lives.”
A former ABC 7.30 political editor and European correspondent for the ABC, Kelly will continue to play a key role at the national broadcaster in 2022 and beyond, including in its federal election coverage and as co-host of the political podcast The Party Room, along with other special projects to be announced next year.
The ABC will announce the new presenter of RN Breakfast later this year.
The announcement comes after ABC Radio Sydney breakfast hosts, Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck, revealed that this will be the last year they will present their show.
The Breakfast co-hosts told their listeners on October 1st that they had made the decision to ‘go out on a high’ with their last show scheduled for Friday, December 10th 2021.
Listen to Robbie and Wendy on the Mediaweek podcast here.