ABC Morning Show Star Announces Sudden Exit Live on Air: Latest on Tony Armstrong

After three years as an ABC morning news anchor, Tony Armstrong is moving on. The 34-year-old announced the news live on air during a taping of ABC News Breakfast on Sept.24 that his final appearance on the Australian program would be on Oct. 4, New Idea reports.

“I just want to thank Brekky and the broader ABC News team for welcoming me in with open arms and helping me grow over the past few years,” he shared while looking into the camera. “[It] feels like I’ve been on a bit of a rocket ship. I’m going to miss the couch. Not the alarm, but I’ll miss the couch. And, yeah, I’ve had such a ball. I’m going to miss everyone but, um, yeah. You’ll still see me around.”

Armstrong will remain with the station and host a new, yet-to-be-announced series scheduled to premiere in 2025.

His co-hosts Michael Rowland and Bridget Brennan happily celebrated his time on the show. “I am so sorry three years of talking sport and swapping gags with Tony is about to end,” Rowland said. “He is an engaging colleague and a good friend. In fact, there’s no one I would rather sit through an earthquake with. We did it. Google it,” he joked.

Brennan said her future former co-anchor is a  “wonderful friend,” notion, “Everyone at News Breakfast is going to miss his infectious and caring nature,” she said. “I know it’s meant so much to me and to thousands upon thousands of First Nations viewers waking up to see Tony representing us on the daily.”

Armstrong, a former AFL player, was hired as a fill-in sports reporter for the network in 2020. Within a year, he replaced Paul Kennedy as the permanent sports presenter. His work has been well received.

Armstrong won the TV Week Logie Award for Best New Talent in 2022. In 2023, he also won the TV Week Logie Award for Most Popular Presenter before being nominated for the Gold Logie in 2024. His replacement has not been announced.