Channel Seven is pulling out all the stops to revamp Spotlight following the fallout from the network’s controversial Bruce Lehrmann interview.
The network has reportedly ‘poached’ a key Channel Nine staffer as they desperately try and win the Sunday night ratings war against 60 Minutes, the Daily Telegraph claimed on Monday.
Gemma Williams, former Sydney Bureau Chief for A Current Affair, has been brought in to replace Mark Llewellyn as executive producer on Spotlight after she was dubbed a ‘rising star’ at Nine.
Gemma, 25, has media in the blood – her dad is former A Current Affair executive producer Grant Williams.
The shake-up comes as the bloodbath continues at Channel Seven in the wake of the Lehrmann sex-and-drugs allegations that hit the network’s flagship current affairs show Spotlight.
Seven has reportedly ‘poached’ key Channel Nine staffer Gemma Williams to revamp Spotlight following the fallout from the network’s controversial Bruce Lehrmann interview
Llewellyn, the executive producer of the Spotlight program, left Seven in April following weeks of damaging claims about how the current affairs show secured the controversial Lehrmann interview.
There has been a question mark over Llewellyn’s tenure at Seven following claims from former producer Taylor Auerbach, whose bombshell allegations – made in an affidavit to the Federal Court – caused Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Network 10 and Lisa Wilkinson to be reopened.
The Australian and Sydney Morning Herald reported Llewellyn had engaged lawyer John Laxon to negotiate his exit from the network.
![Gemma Williams, former Sydney Bureau Chief for A Current Affair, has been brought in to replace Mark Llewellyn as executive producer on Spotlight after she was dubbed a 'rising star' at Nine](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/11/85095967-13438043-Gemma_25_has_media_in_the_blood_her_dad_is_A_Current_Affair_exec-a-29_1716202098463.jpg)
Gemma Williams, former Sydney Bureau Chief for A Current Affair, has been brought in to replace Mark Llewellyn as executive producer on Spotlight after she was dubbed a ‘rising star’ at Nine
It was reported he handed in his security pass after being seen at Seven’s Eveleigh offices in inner Sydney on Wednesday and will not be returning to the building.
Mr Llewellyn was contacted for comment and Mr Laxon declined to comment.
Meanwhile, Seven confirmed last month that then-news director Craig McPherson – partner to Dancing with the Stars host Sonia Kruger – had suddenly left his position as network director of news and public affairs after nine years in the job.
He is to be replaced by Anthony De Ceglie, who currently works as editor-in-chief for News Corp mastheads in Western Australia.
McPherson is the fourth executive to leave the network in April following the scandal over Spotlight’s lucrative deal with Lehrmann, who was found by the Federal Court to have raped Brittany Higgins on a civil scale.
![Pictured: A Current Affair host Allison Langdon](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/12/85097155-13438043-image-a-37_1716203660917.jpg)
Pictured: A Current Affair host Allison Langdon
![Spotlight is in a ratings war with rival current affairs show 60 Minutes (pictured)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/11/85095965-13438043-Nine_will_pit_Spotlight_against_rival_current_affairs_show_60_Mi-m-35_1716202552177.jpg)
Spotlight is in a ratings war with rival current affairs show 60 Minutes (pictured)
![Seven confirmed last month that then-news director Craig McPherson (pictured) - partner to Dancing With The Stars host Sonia Kruger - had suddenly left his position as network director of news and public affairs after nine years in the job](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/20/11/84203737-13438043-Seven_confirmed_last_month_that_then_news_director_Craig_McPhers-a-34_1716202099010.jpg)
Seven confirmed last month that then-news director Craig McPherson (pictured) – partner to Dancing With The Stars host Sonia Kruger – had suddenly left his position as network director of news and public affairs after nine years in the job
Spotlight secured two exclusive interviews with Lehrmann last year in exchange for a year’s rental of a luxury unit, worth about $105,000, ahead of his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson in the Federal Court.
In the month of April alone, the network lost McPherson, managing director James Warburton, commercial director Bruce McWilliam, and Llewellyn.
Seven also became the subject of a defamation case when Benjamin Cohen was wrongly named on Sunrise as the Bondi Junction killer.
The network settled the case out-of-court in April for an undisclosed sum.
In a media release earlier this year, Seven West Media managing director and chief executive officer Jeff Howard spoke highly of De Ceglie.
‘Anthony brings a compelling vision to the Director of News and Current Affairs and Editor-in-Chief of Seven West Media role,’ Howard said.
‘His absolute focus on news gathering and storytelling will underpin his approach, while his knowledge of digital and his innovative mindset will be just what SWM needs as we continue to build a better media business.’
Of McPherson, he said: ‘Craig has been one of Australia’s pre-eminent news leaders and we wish him all the best for the future.’