‘Nothing off limits’: Georgie Gardner tipped for explosive ‘tell-all’ chat with Jessica Rowe after 24-year Nine career ends

Ex-Nine newsreader Georgie Gardner is reportedly preparing to break her silence in a candid podcast interview with close friend Jessica Rowe following her sudden departure.

Georgie Gardner has officially walked away from Channel Nine – and insiders claim she’s now poised to lift the lid on her time at the network in a candid sit-down interview.

The veteran presenter, 55, delivered her final 9News bulletin on Friday night, closing the chapter on a 24-year career with the broadcaster just weeks after announcing her shock exit.

Gardner, who fronted Sydney’s 6pm bulletin on Fridays and Saturdays, appeared emotional as she farewelled viewers, telling them: “Nothing lasts forever and for me, it’s time to move on.”

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Ex-Nine newsreader Georgie Gardner is reportedly preparing to break her silence in a candid podcast interview. Picture: Nine
Now, sources say her next move could see her open up like never before, with close friend and former colleague Jessica Rowe keen to bring her onto her podcast, The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show.

According to an insider, the pair, both of whom have weathered high-profile careers in television, are ready to speak frankly about the industry.

“Jess loves the idea of giving Georgie the mic and letting her do all the talking so all of Australia can hear, in her own words, what the last two decades have been like for her,” the source told New Idea.

“It’s about empowerment, but it’s also a reckoning – nothing will be off limits for them.”

The insider said the potential interview could delve deep into Gardner’s personal and professional life, with questions that “might make some people nervous”.

Jessica Rowe, Peter Overton and Georgie Gardner; Lisa Ho at Town Hall; Mercedes Australian Fashion Week in May 2005. Picture: Craig Greenhill
“This interview could be a public dismantling of TV industry culture, delivered by two women who know its secrets best,” the source claimed.

Rowe, whose husband, Peter Overton, is Nine News Sydney’s lead weekday anchor, has long been candid about her own abrupt exit from the Today show in 2007.

The 55-year-old left the breakfast program after just one year alongside Karl Stefanovic, following what were reported to be “payment disputes” after returning from maternity leave.

Gardner’s trajectory at Nine followed a similar path through the network’s biggest programs.

After joining in 2002, she worked as a newsreader and fill-in host on Today from 2007 to 2014, before stepping into the co-host role in 2017 following Lisa Wilkinson’s high-profile exit.

Georgie Gardner on Nine with Karl Stefanovic. Picture: Instagram @georgiegardner9
Her stint at the helm was short-lived, lasting just over a year before Alison Langdon took over, with Gardner returning to the newsroom to present weekend bulletins.

Her resignation is understood to have caught executives off guard, particularly as her contract was not due to expire until the end of the year.

Under her previous deal, Gardner is believed to have earned around $600,000 annually for two nights a week on air.

However, amid widespread cost-cutting across the network, reports suggest she was facing a “significant” pay cut if she chose to stay on.

Instead, Gardner opted to walk away on what insiders describe as “her own terms”.

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“Nine accepted her resignation with something approaching a sigh of relief. Not only was a difficult conversation avoided, but the company will now save a lot of money- and earlier than expected,” the Daily Mail’s Inside Mail reported last week.

“With the way the television business is now, no job is safe, and some at 1 Denison Street say they never expected her to be with the network next year.

“Ultimately, she went out on her own terms- not many people can say that.”

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Gardner’s final bulletin was marked with a three-minute montage celebrating her decades-long career, leaving the seasoned presenter visibly moved as she signed off alongside colleagues James Bracey and Sophie Walsh.

“Since announcing my resignation I have been humbled and overwhelmed by your messages,” she said in a heartfelt message to viewers.

“Such kindness, encouragement and goodwill feel particularly precious during these turbulent times.

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“So thank you, I’ll miss you, but I’m also so grateful to have experienced something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

“That is Nine News for this Friday … I’m Georgie Gardner, thank you for being with us, enjoying your evening, goodnight.”

SkyNews.com.au has contacted Gardner and Rowe for further comment.