Shock exit at channel 10 as veteran newsreader steps down after ten years behind the desk, replaced by younger colleague.

Channel 10 has announced veteran newsreader Chris Bath will be leaving the network after a decade, with a younger face stepping in to replace her.

Ms Bath, 58, who has spent seven years as the weekend presenter for the masthead, is set to leave the network at the end of the year.

She will be replaced by Georgie Tunny, 34, who was hired by the network in 2022 as presenter on The Project, according to news.com.au.

The Project was scrapped by the network earlier this year in June due to high production costs.

Australian journalist Chris Bath is set to leave Channel 10 at the end of this year. Picture: Channel 10

Georgie Tunny was hired by Channel 10 in 2022 as a presenter on The Project. Picture: Sam Tabone/Getty Images
Insiders revealed Ms Bath was considered too expensive for the network to keep on.

Ms Bath hosts a 90-minute national Saturday evening bulletin as well as a separate 90-minute Perth bulletin and a one-hour Sunday evening bulleting across both markets.

She also hosts a drive radio program on ABC Sydney from Monday to Thursday.

The veteran newsreader joined the network back in 2015 after leaving Seven.

She first appeared on the channel on Studio 10 as well as The Project.

She later became a regular co-host of The Sunday Project in 2017 before being replaced by Lisa Wilkinson in 2018.

“After seven years presenting the national weekend bulletin for 10 News, Chris Bath will present her last bulletin at the end of this year,” a spokesperson at 10 confirmed.

“Chris is one of Australia’s most respected news presenters and we thank her for her passion, dedication and contribution throughout her time presenting this bulletin. Chris will always be a valued member of the 10 family.”

It comes after reports the US-backed media company is looking to cut its poorly rated primetime news experiment 10News+ to a half hour bulletin.

The show launched in June with lacklustre viewership compared to its competitors on Channel Nine and Channel Seven.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported 10 News+ has averaged about 130,000 viewers in October, down from its average of more than 160,000 in the first month it launched.

Meanwhile, evening news programs on Nine and Seven each average upwards of one million nightly viewers.