Veteran television presenter Amber Sherlock has broken her silence for the first time following the confirmation of her shock departure from Channel Nine. The 49-year-old's exit was unexpectedly announced on air by colleague Georgie Gardner during Wednesday's 9News bulletin, marking a sensational end to her long tenure.
A Career Milestone and a Fond Farewell
Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Sherlock shared a lengthy and heartfelt message with her followers. She reflected on her "nearly 20 years" with the network, describing the opportunity to be in viewers' lounge rooms each evening as a "privilege".
Her career at Nine was extensive, spanning roles from her early days as a finance journalist to reading the Qantas news and becoming the inaugural newsreader for Weekend Today. "I've been fortunate to present across almost every bulletin including the Morning News, Afternoon News, 6pm News and Late News," she penned.
Sherlock included a photo with co-stars Peter Overton and James Bracey, noting her recent position as part of the 6pm Sydney news team. She proudly highlighted that the team had won the ratings for the last 15 years, calling it a "testament" to their work.
Embracing a New Chapter
Sherlock emphasised that her 30-year career in Australian television was built on "hard work, grit and resilience". While she confirmed she was offered other roles within the network, she stated that it now "makes sense to step away now and look at something fresh".
She expressed a particular fondness for weather presenting, joking about Australians being "obsessed with weather". In a pointed comment on the industry trend, she suggested the departure of dedicated weather presenters like herself and Livinia Nixon from 9News Melbourne marked "the end of an era", with "'streamlining' seem[ing] to be the prevailing forecast".
Looking ahead, Sherlock revealed she already has "some exciting projects on the go" which she will share soon. For now, she is looking forward to spending afternoons with her family, weekend barbecues with friends, and embracing her new chapter.
The On-Air Announcement That Confirmed the Exit
Sherlock's departure was thrust into the public eye on Wednesday night when newsreader Georgie Gardner made an off-script farewell during the 9News bulletin. Gardner referred to Sherlock as a "valued member" of the team and thanked her for her contribution, though notably omitted her nearly two-decade-long service.
The confirmation followed days of speculation after Sherlock was mysteriously absent from Monday's broadcast, replaced by reporter Sophie Walsh. Newsroom insiders had immediately insisted she was "gone".
Her exit is part of a broader, brutal round of redundancies at Channel Nine, with the network looking to cut up to 50 roles. A network spokesperson confirmed a restructure was underway to drive commercial growth, citing a "challenging external advertising market". A network insider suggested to Daily Mail that Sherlock's "hefty pay packet could have factored into the decision".
While consultation has begun, the total number of staff departing is expected to be lower than 50, with some being redeployed to new roles.
