Rebecca Maddern’s exciting new role is revealed

Rebecca Maddern left Channel Nine and her lucrative hosting job on Australian Ninja Warrior last month after more than five years with the network.

And it seems that she’s now likely to return to her old stomping ground of Channel Seven.

On Saturday, the Herald Sun reported that the TV presenter, 44, will join Seven stalwart Mike Amor to co-host of the weekend news bulletin in early 2022. 

According to the publication, redesigns and small changes are being made to the Melbourne studio and news desk to accommodate for a two-person news team. 

There is also speculation that they may even present the summer edition of the weeknight bulletin in January. 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Rebecca’s management for comment. 

Rumours of Rebecca jumping ship back to Channel Seven began swirling earlier this month after she abruptly quit Channel Nine last month.

At the time, she was said to be ‘on the verge of’ inking a deal with Seven, where she previously worked in various roles from 2002 to 2016. 

Her homecoming will likely coincide with a promotion to newsreader for Melbourne‘s 6pm weekend news team alongside co-anchor Mike Amor, The Australian reported at the time.

The pairing of Maddern and Amor will match the ‘male-female’ formula that has proved successful for Seven News Sydney’s weekend news with Angela Cox and Michael Usher at the helm.

It comes after Maddern’s former Australian Ninja Warrior co-host Ben Fordham said he knew exactly where she was headed. 

Speaking on the You Cannot Be Serious podcast on Thursday, Fordham wagered that Maddern will return to her old stomping ground at Seven.

‘I’ll make this prediction, and I want to stress that she did not tell me this, but I’d say she’ll turn up at Channel Seven,’ he said.

‘She’ll return to Channel Seven. That’d be my tip. It’ll be Channel Seven… or Channel 10. I can’t imagine Bec at the ABC or SBS,’ he added. 

Fordham also said he believed it would ‘only take a very short period of time’ before Maddern was snapped up by another television network.  

‘Rebecca’s not going to be sitting there on the sidelines for too long. She’ll turn up somewhere else,’ he said.

Maddern began working at Seven in 2002, serving as a news reporter on programs such as Seven Afternoon News and Sunrise.

She departed Seven in 2016 and immediately signed with Nine. 

Maddern confirmed late last month she had walked away from Nine after almost six years at the network.

She is believed to have quit following stalled contract negotiations with Nine.

The Herald Sun reported Maddern parted ways with Nine after being offered a ‘lower pay deal’ to reflect the fact she was stepping down from Weekend Today in 2022.  

Leaving Weekend Today would have meant her duties would be limited to Australian Ninja Warrior and hosting tennis coverage, including the Australian Open. 

Maddern, who was apparently on a six-figure salary, is said to have rejected the offer.