She was a familiar face across many Channel Nine shows, but Weekend Today viewers no longer wake up to Belinda Russell's energetic personality, following an announcement in early March that she will no longer be hosting the weekend version of the news and current affairs show.
The shock exit was not just a surprise for Weekend Today's audience, with Belinda revealing to Stellar Magazine that her departure from the show was not on her radar.
"It wasn't the start to 2023 that I was expecting, and it was disappointing . It's going to be a bit of a knock to your confidence and self-esteem but you do then think, well, what's next? You've got to trust the universe and back yourself," stated Russell.
Belinda, who had been with Channel Nine for 16 years, previously took to Instagram in March to break the news to her followers, posting a video compilation of clips from her time on the show, with the caption: "Hello friends. A little career update for you. My time on Weekend Today has come to an end. Thanks to those who tuned in. I hope I brought some sunshine and joy to your weekends. I have loved the last year and am looking forward to future opportunities at Nine. Good luck to the team for 2023 and beyond!"
There was no reason given for her departure from the show, nor was there any mention on the show itself, with Russell's absence across the Saturday and Sunday's Weekend Today not being addressed on the live shows.
Belinda's career at Channel Nine begin in 2007 with a role as a reporter on A Current Affair and she has been seen as a 'fill in' host on many Nine shows, including The Today Show and Today Extra.
Nine previously said in a statement that Belinda remains "a valued member of the 9News team which will enable her to work across all of our news brands".