Q&A host Hamish Macdonald reveals what made him quit Instagram and Twitter in 2020

Q&A host Hamish Macdonald reveals what made him quit Instagram and Twitter in 2020

Hamish MacDonald quit social media in the middle of 2020.

The Q&A host told Stellar on Saturday that having platforms such as Instagram and Twitter was a challenging experience during a particularly divisive year.

The 39-year-old explained that his role mediator and questioner on the ABC program saw him cop plenty of abuse online over his interviews. 

Online abuse: Q&A host Hamish Macdonald (pictured) revealed he quit Instagram and Twitter last year because he received plenty of abuse online over his interviews on the ABC talk show

‘I’ve never had more abuse for the interviews I’ve conducted than I had last year,’ he said.

‘And the abuse has come from left-wing people who don’t like you asking difficult questions of Dan Andrews, and it’s come from people on the right who don’t like you asking difficult questions of the federal government,’ he added.

Hamish noted that the experience has taught him that not everyone can be pleased, particular when people are feeling more anxious than ever. 

From every direction: 'The abuse has come from left-wing people who don't like you asking difficult questions of Dan Andrews, and it's come from people on the right who don't like you asking difficult questions of the federal government,' he explained

From every direction: ‘The abuse has come from left-wing people who don’t like you asking difficult questions of Dan Andrews, and it’s come from people on the right who don’t like you asking difficult questions of the federal government,’ he explained

Understanding: Despite being at the centre of the online trolling he admitted to being sympathetic to those who lashed out because it's simply not the information or opinion they want to hear

Understanding: Despite being at the centre of the online trolling he admitted to being sympathetic to those who lashed out because it’s simply not the information or opinion they want to hear

Despite being at the centre of the online trolling he admitted to being sympathetic to those who lashed out because it’s simply not the information or opinion they want to hear.

Hamish went on praise his partner, economist Jacob Fitzroy, for being supportive with the demands of his work over the challenging year. 

‘He’s always managed to make things fun and happy, and is also very clear with me when to put the phone down,’ he said of Jacob.

Support: Hamish praised his partner, economist Jacob Fitzroy (left) for being supportive with the demands of his work over the challenging year. 'He's always managed to make things fun and happy, and is also very clear with me when to put the phone down,' he said

Support: Hamish praised his partner, economist Jacob Fitzroy (left) for being supportive with the demands of his work over the challenging year. ‘He’s always managed to make things fun and happy, and is also very clear with me when to put the phone down,’ he said 

Hamish came out as a gay man when the couple made their first public appearance in June 2019 at the GQ’s Gentlemen’s Ball in Melbourne.

Recalling the event, the journalist said the move was not deliberate because their relationship was never secret, and that the response from the public was ‘surprising and lovely.’

He told GQ Magazine: ‘To wake up the next day and see literally thousands of messages from all over the world was at first a shock but ultimately a beautiful thing.’

Read more of Hamish MacDonald's story is in this weekend's Stellar magazine with Sigrid Thornton on the cover

Read more of Hamish MacDonald’s story is in this weekend’s Stellar magazine with Sigrid Thornton on the cover