ABC News Breakfast bid farewell to host Tony Armstrong on Friday morning, as the popular TV presenter said goodbye after three years.
The TV star – widely regarded as the public broadcaster’s golden boy – announced last week he was leaving his role after three years.
Following his announcement, Media Watch host Janine Perrett exposed he had been doing voiceovers for an insurance company while working on the ABC program.
During his final show, Armstrong broke his silence and said his time with the ABC has been a ‘whirlwind’ before admitting it had been a ‘funny old week’.
‘Mixed feelings. You can tell by my body language, I don’t like talking about myself too much, despite being in a career where I’m in front of a camera,’ he said.
‘It’s been such a whirlwind three years. Believe it or not, I was nervous when I started.’
‘It didn’t last long. But yeah, that wasn’t all that long ago. And yeah, News Breakfast has given me everything, really. It’s given me… It’s given me a joy ride!’
Armstrong also said: ‘I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in today to be able to walk out on my own terms, and into whatever is next.’
ABC News Breakfast bid farewell to host Tony Armstrong on Friday morning, as the popular TV presenter said goodbye after three years
‘I don’t really know exactly what it is yet… I’m just very thankful to everyone who watches and everyone who said such nice things to me across the course of this week particularly.
‘It’s been a funny old week. But yeah, people have been really, really nice to me.’
Armstrong ended by saying he was going to miss his ‘News Breakfast family’.
Armstrong was called out by the ABC earlier this week with the network’s Media Watch program exposing he has been doing voiceovers for an insurance company while working on its News Breakfast program.
Media critic Perrett revealed on Monday that Armstrong, 34, has been working as the voice of NRMA Insurance ads since July.
Perrett, Media Watch’s stand-in host, said it was ‘astonishing’ that Armstrong had failed to get approval from the broadcaster before landing the new gig.
During his final show, Armstrong said his time with the ABC has been a ‘whirlwind’ before admitting it had been a ‘funny old week’
‘It’s a shame this moonlighting at the expense of the ABC’s integrity is what we’re talking about in his final week on News Breakfast,’ Perrett said.
‘Tony’s arguably one of the ABCs biggest stars,’ she added.
‘He’s not only on the breakfast TV couch, he’s appeared at night on a new sports show. He’s one of many appearing in ABC News promos and is the face of a new five part series.
‘So we were stunned when we got confirmation that Tony was selling an insurance company as well’.
The ABC’s Editorial Policy states that any external work by a high-profile presenter isn’t banned, but is considered ‘very high risk’.
The ABC told Media Watch his voiceover work was done without its knowledge and was due to a ‘misunderstanding with Tony’s external representation’.
Armstrong was called out by the ABC on Monday with the network’s Media Watch program exposing he has been doing voiceovers for an insurance company while working on its News Breakfast program
‘They have been provided a copy of the external work guidelines and reminded all ABC employees are required to meet them. Tony is a high valued employee and has the ABC’s full support,’ the broadcaster said.
A stunned Perrett responded: ‘A misunderstanding?’
‘How any ABC reporter could voice a commercial for one of the biggest brands in Australia and not think that is a conflict, is beyond us.
‘If this is not a breach of the guidelines on external work, which says you must seek approval from above, we don’t know what is’.
Media Watch said Armstrong did not respond to its request for comment.