Stan Grant on 8 weeks leave from Q+A

Q+A host Stan Grant is on 8 weeks leave, ABC management confirmed at a Senate Estimates hearing this afternoon in Canberra.

“He’s taken leave for around eight weeks,” News Director Justin Stevens said.

It isn’t clear if he will return immediately afterwards.

Q+A is hosted next Monday by Patricia Karvelas ahead of a mid-season break. News Director Justin Stevens has previously indicated he hopes Grant will return thereafter.

On Monday Grant told viewers, “I’m not walking away for a while because of racism. We get that far too often. I’m not walking away because of social media hatred. I need a break from the media. I feel like I’m part of the problem and I need to ask myself how or if we can do it better.”

In separate ABC News, News Breakfast host Michael Rowland confirmed today he is taking 5 weeks planned holiday.

This post updates.