After three decades at the network Ray Martin has quit Channel Nine.

Despite Martin’s apparent goodwill, his departure comes as a black cloud hangs over the Sunday program, which he was to host when it returns this Sunday morning.

Sources say Martin has clashed with network bosses over changes to the Sunday format in the last two weeks, which Martin felt would “gut” the 25 year old program of its journalistic gravitas.

The “gravitas” of which Martin speaks has been a hallmark of his contribution to Australian journalism over the past 39 years. How could any self-respecting Australian forget the kind of hard-hitting investigative reports, arse-licking John Howard “interviews”, Commonwealth Games commentary, and celebrity pap that Martin used to bring us on A Current Affair during his six years hosting the program?

And of course there’s the legendary John Safran confrontation after Martin’s filthy ethics-neutral journalistic tactics were turned back on him.

No matter how bad Martin’s journalism was it was never as bad as his fashion sense.

Blue, pink and yellow: together at last

And no matter how bad Martin’s fashion sense was it was never as bad as Mike Munro’s.

For the love of God, are they Tasmanian tigers?

Ray Martin: good fucking riddance.