Charlie Pickering gave the ABC's most unhinged critics, who want to abolish the ABC, exactly the ammunition they wanted. Staff cannot understand why he did it.
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Charlie Pickering doesn’t owe the ABC everything, but he does owe it _a lot_.
His first regular media gig was as host of Triple J’s _Drive_ program back in 2001, a position he landed after being invited by Wil Anderson to do guest spots on _Breakfast_.
After stints in commercial media, including on the Comedy Channel and Channel V, as well as co-hosting _The Project_ for five years, he returned to the ABC to host _The Weekly_ , a satirical news program that has run for the past 11 years.
As well as that, he co-hosted another ABC TV program _Tomorrow Tonight_ , hosted ABC Melbourne’s _Breakfast_ show on Fridays in 2023, took over hosting Richard Glover’s _Thank God It’s Friday_ show __ on ABC Sydney, and just last month was announced as the new host of _Drive_ on ABC Melbourne.
The public broadcaster has showered him with gigs, including his continued hosting of the ABC’s last remaining satirical news show, which has outlasted Shaun Micallef’s _Mad As Hell_ and Tom Ballard’s _Tonightly_. He’s in an extremely rare, lucky and privileged position.
That is why his decision to publicly criticise the broadcaster for working with former Australian of the Year Grace Tame – a decision that has provided the ABC’s powerful enemies with fresh ammunition to use against the broadcaster – has left so many of his colleagues bewildered and disdainful.
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