A Channel Seven star has announced their departure from the Melbourne newsroom amid the network's recent staffing carnage. Weekend weather presenter Sonia Marinelli announced this week she would be leaving her role after three years in the position. 'I am stepping away from my role at 7News. My husband and I have decided to make a sea-change,' she said in a statement. 'We will be taking our four young children on an adventure up the east coast. This decision has been years in the making.

'After spending most of my TV news career talking about our weather, I’m excited to get out and actually enjoy it with those I love most.'. Despite recent rumours that a high profile network would be axing a weather presenter, Seven told the Herald Sun that Marinelli left on her own terms. Weekend weather presenter Sonia Marinelli announced this week she would be leaving her role after three years with the network.

'Seven has been a wonderful home for the past four years. I will miss my friends and colleagues here dearly, but I am ready and excited for new opportunities.'. Marinelli is the latest in a series of popular presenters fleeing Channel Seven over the past year. In August, senior 7News reporter Steve Hart also left top-rating network, according to the Courier Mail. The outlet reported an internal email to staff cited 'family reasons' as being behind the TV veteran's decision to quit.

Hart will be moving to WIN News in Wollongong. It is understood the reporter's wife is based in Sydney and Hart's weekly commutes played a major part in his decision to leave the network. His departure followed Shane Webcke's shock exit from the sports news desk the previous week. In a statement, the Brisbane presenter revealed he will be leaving his post in January but will remain with Seven for NRL insights.

'I am stepping away from my role at 7News. My husband and I have decided to make a sea-change,' Marinelli said in a statement. Despite recent rumours that a high profile network would be axing a weather presenter, the network told the Herald Sun that Marinelli left on her own terms. Webcke had recently been in discussions with Seven management to reduce his work hours so he could spend more time with family, according to the Courier Mail.

'After 18 years presenting sport for 7NEWS Brisbane, I've made the decision to take a slightly new direction and from January I'll be stepping back from the news desk,' he said. 'It's something I've been thinking about for a while, to allow me greater flexibility and more time to pursue my family agricultural interests. 'But I'm not going far. I'll still appear regularly on 7NEWS alongside my good mate Gilly, providing rugby league insights for our viewers.

'I have been treated so well over the last 18 years, and I'm grateful to Seven for supporting me through this next phase.'. Webcke is one in a long line of Seven employees who have reduced their duties or been axed amid the network's cost-cutting bloodbath in recent months. Seven West Media slashed 150 editorial staff in a round of redundancies which claimed big names including Queenslanders newsreader Sharyn Ghidella and veteran weatherman Paul Burt.