Simon Reeve, formerly a presenter on Sunrise and game show host, was made redundant by Channel 7 in June 2020.
Reeve sued the network last September on the grounds that they had breached his Fair Work rights. He has requested more than $500,000 in unpaid entitlements and compensation. Seven countersued, arguing that he was not an employee but an independent contractor.
They claimed that, if the judge ruled that Reeve was entitled to the protection of an employee, he should also have to pay back six years of wages that they paid to his contracting company.
The Daily Mail reported that a Seven source said, “Nine had dumped its weekend sports presenter on Today and we couldn’t justify keeping [Reeve] on. So we didn’t renew his contract…He was just so expensive, flying him up and back and accommodating him – as well as the retainer. You can get a dedicated junior for half that and no expenses.”
“News was under such pressure. Axing him saved close to half a million [dollars] and didn’t lose anything on air.”
Reeve was commuting from Queensland to Sydney for six hours of television per week.
Seven and Reeve have now settled for an undisclosed sum after Justice Geoffrey Flick ordered that the case be dismissed by consent. He made no order as to costs.
Seven has been contacted for comment
