- Has been off-air since mid-January
Glamorous sports presenter Mel McLaughlin is closing in on ten years service at Channel 7 – but whether she remains at the free-to-air network long-term remains to be seen.
McLaughlin, 46, was reportedly blindsided when Seven announced Matt White was returning to the broadcaster after five years on morning radio with sports station SEN.
White will be the face of Seven’s expanded NRL coverage this season.
Additionally, McLaughlin was overlooked for a hosting role ahead of the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Racing identity Emma Freedman will instead join Sunrise host Matt Shirvington as anchors of the primetime coverage.
Seven told News Corp that McLaughlin is ‘taking some well-earned leave after a massive summer of sport’, before adding she will return ahead of the NRL season.
Glamorous sports presenter Mel McLaughlin is closing in on ten years at Channel 7 – but whether she remains at the free-to-air network long term remains to be seen
McLaughlin was reportedly blindsided when Seven announced Matt White (pictured) was returning to the broadcaster in January after five years with sports station SEN
Daily Mail understands McLaughlin’s reported salary of $500,000 has been slashed following Seven’s merger with media company SCA last month.
Born and raised in Sydney, McLaughlin rose to prominence after joining Fox Sports in 2007.
Six years later, McLaughlin was poached by Network Ten to host their Big Bash coverage.
She then attracted headlines in January of 2016 after being propositioned by West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle when he was playing for the Melbourne Renegades.
In a live cross, Gayle asked McLaughlin for a drink after a Big Bash League game in Hobart and then proceeded to tell her ‘don’t blush, baby’ when she looked visibly embarrassed.
Gayle was later fined $10,000 and insisted he was joking.
‘I’ve been embarrassed by the attention because it’s not what I’m about,’ McLaughlin said at the time.
‘I can handle myself, I’ve done many interviews. I know a lot of people have had an opinion on it.
‘I understand why people wanted to talk about it. It is something that strikes a chord with people (but) I just want to do my job.’
