Denise Scott has confirmed she’s leaving the Studio 10 panel in an emotional announcement on air.
The comedian, 64, confirmed she’d still be appearing on the daily show as a reporter based down near her home in Melbourne, but admitted she had to leave the panel for the foreseeable future.
“It is a change… Because I live in Melbourne I am going to take a break from being on the panel and will be doing some reporting from Melbourne,” she said.
As Sarah Harris clarified that she’d become the show’s ‘Melbourne correspondent’, Angela Bishop joked that the last time she took a break she ended up on Dancing With The Stars, adding: “Why do I get the feeling you’re about to do [Australian] Survivor?”
To which Denise replied: “Well yes okay I’m really cut out for that… And I’d love some more humiliation in life! No I’ve got nothing else on the cards, I’d like to say I’m writing but I’ve said that for 40 years now… you never know it might start happening.
“I’ll be seeing you all on screen, reporting, doing some work from Melbourne.”
Becoming emotional, she added: “But I do want to say that I’ve had the most wonderful time sharing this [panel]… I’d never done this sort of show before, and at my age to get such an opportunity to work with you wonderful people… I’m going to cry. I’m glad that I’m back.”
Sarah then credited Denise with helping rescue the show following the departures of Ita Buttrose and Jessica Rowe, adding: “You are just a gem of a woman and you came to us when we were facing so much upheaval.”
Denise took a short break from the show earlier this year to compete in Dancing With The Stars, but returned shortly after being eliminated.
Meanwhile, it comes after her colleague Denise Drysdale took a break last year due to the gruelling work schedule.
She said at the time: “I’ve been doing this job and touring for 54 years and it’s been getting to me and I’m just sick of the travel and sick of sleeping in other people’s beds.
“I went to Luce [Studio 10 executive producer] and said, ‘look, I need to go’ and then I had a meeting.”
She has since returned and revealed she battled a number of health issues during her time off air, but following her long recovery, she couldn’t be happier to be back.