Ita Buttrose announced her departure from Studio 10 yesterday, just weeks after former co-host Jessica Rowe, and while fellow panellists farewelled Buttrose with tears and emotional words, all eyes were on Denise Drysdale, who barely said a word.
Speaking to 2DayFM Breakfast with Em, Grant and Ed this morning, Drysdale revealed she won’t be missing Buttrose on the morning show.
“The show as we know it is not the same any more, with Jess [Rowe] going. Jess and I hit it off really, really well. And now Ita going, well — it’s a different show. You’ve got two totally different people that have gone … I’m sure we’ll pick up,” she said.
Presenter, Grant Denyer asked if Drysdale was going to miss her fellow colleague — a question that was met with an immediate “no”.
According to several reports, tensions between the pair were rumoured to have erupted late last year, when Drysdale threw a brussels sprout at Buttrose during the taping of a Studio 10 christmas song. However, Drysdale said her behaviour was due to a mix of tiredness and champagne consumption.
“Look, I threw that Brussels sprout because I’d got up at four in the morning to come in and do the Christmas song,” she explained. “And at about four o clock in the afternoon, [after] we’d had a couple of champagnes for lunch, I was feeling … The Christmas party was that night, so I’d had my party in the afternoon!”
On Tuesday afternoon, Channel 10 issued a press release stating Buttrose would be departing the hugely popular morning show, Studio 10. The network said Wednesday would be her last show, news that has shocked both fans and her co-hosts alike.
Buttrose revealed she wanted to spend more time with her five grandchildren, as well as on her writing, but had nothing but praise for the talk show.
“I have had a long involvement with Network Ten, stretching back many years. I’ve had five great years on Studio 10, but it is time for me to move on and focus on other parts of my life, including spending more time with my grandchildren and writing,” she said.
As the show came to a close, Buttrose also revealed despite her departure coming as a shock to fans, she handed in her notice before Rowe quit on air last month.
“I resigned two days before Jessica did, but given her announcement, I left mine until it was more convenient because I think didn’t you wanted two of us to go together,” she said. “I didn’t really ‘spring it’.”