Michael Rowland, the journalist who has been a staple in many of our homes throughout the years, has decided to quit the Australian Broadcasting Corporation after nearly four decades.
Rowland will finish up with his role as national affairs reporter for the ABC’s 7.30 on Friday, 27 February. The 57-year-old only joined the show in November after finishing up his role as presenter on The Radio National Hour.
Before that, Rowland was co-host of News Breakfast for nearly 15 years. Since beginning his career in ABC at just 18-years-old, the journalist quipped that he has “done everything from the overnight police rounds shift as a cadet to presenting various national TV programs.”
Explaining the heartbreaking reason behind his decision, he told ABC News Breakfast: “My wife, Nikki, who you all know, has been unwell over the last year or so, and I’m wanting to spend more time with her and family and move at a gentler pace.”
Who is Michael Rowland’s wife, Nicola Webber?
Michael has been married to wife Nicola Webber (Nicki), whom he met when they were both working as political journalists in Canberra in the early 2000s, since 2002!
The couple, who share two children together- Tom, 22, and Eleanor, 21, married four months after the proposal. Tom was born less than a year after Michael popped the question and Eleanor 17 months after that.
In a joint interview back in 2020, the couple shared a heartwarming and rare insight into their happy union. “I still look forward to seeing him every day,” Nicola told Woman’s Day.
“We balance each other. We make each other laugh. We frustrate each other as well. It sounds such a cliché, but we’re a really good team,” she gushed.
Michael and Nicki’s plans for the future
Although they are currently fighting Nicki’s health battle together, in their 2020 interview, Michael revealed that they are “looking forward to the next stage when the kids grow up and we spend more time with each other.”
“We got together, married, had kids, went overseas and then he’s doing this crazy, intense job. We’ve been go-go-go. It’ll be nice to pause and go, how good is this?” she added.
What are fans saying about Michael’s decision to step back from the ABC?
As devastated as viewers are to see Michael leave the ABC, there is an overwhelming amount of positive messages and well-wishes for the news anchor.
One user wrote: “Family should always come first! All the best to you and your family, Michael,” “A stellar career with the ABC Michael – huge congratulations. Go well into whatever comes next but Graham and I like the sound of you being able to spend more time with family and friends. Funny how you just know when the time is right,” a second added.
A third gushed: “HUGE news Michael. Congratulation on such an extraordinary innings- and on the decision to call time on it.”
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