KEY POINTS:
Weatherman Brendan Horan does not have a place in TVNZ's plans to overhaul the way it presents the weather, the TV station says.
Mr Horan, who has presented the weather since 2005, will leave the state broadcaster on Friday after taking redundancy. But TVNZ denied Horan had been sacked.
"As a result of changes to the way One News wants its weather presented, Mr Horan has decided to take redundancy from TVNZ," the company said yesterday. TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards yesterday denied Mr Horan had been fired. "I don't think you can say that. He accepted redundancy."
When asked if Mr Horan, who is a former NZ Surf Lifesaving Iron Man champion, had a choice whether to accept the redundancy or not, she said: "These are all private negotiations. I can't go into what was said about him.
"In the end he has accepted redundancy. These are discussions that people have with their employer about their employment terms and what they want to do with their career. It's really nobody's business except Brendan's."
Mr Horan said that while he was sad to be leaving TVNZ, he wished the organisation well and thanked the viewers. He said he would discuss with his wife what he would do next.
"I will miss bringing the weather to New Zealand and I wish my colleagues well. They are a great bunch."
Ms Richards said a permanent replacement hadn't been lined up yet.
"We will be making arrangements for whoever can cover various shifts.
"I don't think there's an intention to sort of say this person is replacing him ... we have got other weather people as well. He's not the only one. It's not a case of one for one.
"This is a redundancy as a result of the changes they wish to make to the way we handle weather, which will be visible on screen in due course I'm sure."
She said Mr Horan had departed on amiable terms and TVNZ wished him well.
But TVNZ wasn't ready to talk about its weather revamp just yet.
"Watch this space," she said.
