TV

‘Insiders’ Says Goodbye To Barrie Cassidy After 18 Years

"Politicians won't miss him, but the rest of the country will."

by Amanda Yeo  9 June 2019
Barrie Cassidy on Insiders

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“Politicians won’t miss him, but the rest of the country will,” said Centre Alliance leader Nick Xenophon in an Insiders tribute to Barrie Cassidy this morning.

Insiders went back to Barrie for the last time today. After 18 years hosting ABC’s Sunday morning political talk show, veteran journalist Barrie Cassidy has vacated his armchair.

Cassidy had been the host of Insiders since its inception in 2001, and in that time built the show into a stalwart of Australian political news. His insightful observations, sharp analysis and consummate professionalism earned him the respect of many Australians, including the many politicians he has interviewed over the years.

Tributes have poured in from all over the political spectrum.

Back to you Barrie!

Some of the familiar faces who have joined Insiders over the years pay tribute to Barrie Cassidy on his last show.

Posted by Insiders ABC on Saturday, 8 June 2019

“He’s always respectful of his guests, he never interrupts,” said former Liberal deputy leader Julie Bishop in an Insiders montage. “In fact, some say he gives his guests just enough rope to hang themselves.”

“Respected, tough but fair, and has a depth of political experience which is almost unparalleled,” said Labor senator Penny Wong.

“Thank goodness he’s been there,” said Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

On Cassidy’s last show this morning, Labor MP Richard Marles presented Cassidy with a custom snow globe. “Can I just say on behalf of everyone who’s sat in this chair: For those of us who are on the inside, this is the interview of the week.

“And the person who has sat in this chair changes week on week and from party from party, but the person who’s been sitting in that chair for the last 18 years has been a constant, and that’s been you, Barry. It’s an enormous contribution to the public debate, it’s an enormous contribution to our nation.”

In his final message on the show, Cassidy relayed the story of talking to a young man who’d met his now wife on Tinder, where she said “she wanted to meet somebody who watched Insiders, preferably with a hangover”.

“How good is Insiders!” smiled Cassidy, who then thanked the show’s viewers.

“I’ve been over the years pulled up in the street so many times, so many emails from people who essentially make the same point – that hey change their routines, they change the way that they manage their Sunday mornings around Insiders, and I just loved hearing that along the journey,” said Cassidy.

“So my final message is that I am moving on, but next week and into the future it will be the same team, it’ll be the same coach, just a different captain. So stay loyal, because the people around deserve that. They really do.” A class act to the end.

Cassidy may be retiring from Insiders, but he isn’t quitting work altogether.

“I’ll continue to contribute to the ABC — hopefully in a substantial way — but only recently I’ve come to the view that while I’m at Insiders I’ll never really know precisely what that contribution might be,” said Cassidy to ABC News. “And so, I want to find out — and do other things before I run out of motivation and energy.”

But before that, he’ll be taking a well-deserved break. Back to you, Barrie.