Veteran nightly newsreader Sharyn Ghidella has delivered a parting shot at Channel 7 after being “tapped on the shoulder” while getting her hair done in the network’s “miserable” round of axings.

The journalist of 38 years, based in the Brisbane bureau, said she was the latest in a “long list of talented, loyal and dedicated employees to have been shown the door”.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Ghidella said it had been “heart-breaking” watching talented media workers getting the sack.

She described the latest cutbacks as an “interminable process of pulling the band-aid off slowly when it comes to removing what’s been deemed excess stock from the building”.

“As has been widely reported, the past couple of weeks in TV has, sadly, been a miserable affair,” she wrote.

Ghidella also made a pointed remark about Seven’s latest bid to shake up its nightly news bulletin with the introduction of an astrology segment.

“I’m also not one to have my evening news served up with humour and horoscopes either, so, to be honest, it is time to go,” she said.

Reports emerged this week that Natasha Weber, known as AstroTash, is set to deliver horoscopes as part of Seven’s 6pm evening news.

Although AstroTash is already a resident astrologer for Seven’s The Morning Show, the addition to a serious evening news bulletin is unusual.

It is part of a raft of eyebrow-raising changes made since New Seven West Media director of news and current affairs ,and editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie replaced Craig McPherson, who resigned in April amid the fallout over a 2023 Spotlight interview with Bruce Lehrmann.

In June, satirical comedian Mark Humphries was reported as an addition to Seven’s nightly news bulletin, following the end of his satirical sketch segment for ABC’s 7.30 last year.

There are also reports De Ceglie plans to insert live in-studio circus tricks, stand-up comedy routines, and songs from some pop artists to the traditionally-straightforward evening news bulletin.

While Seven’s prime-time news bulletin has been edging out its main rival Nine in recent ratings, the network has joined others in mass layoffs in recent weeks.

Ghidella said she was half expecting she might get the chop.

“When you work in TV for as long as I have, not a day goes by when you aren’t expecting the proverbial tap on the shoulder,” she wrote.

“After 38 years, my shoulder tap has finally come.

“It wasn’t quite how I expected it to end at Channel 7. I was actually sitting at the hairdressers for work, when I got the call informing me, that after 17 years with the network, my time was up.”

But she said it was time to move on.

“There is certainly plenty of talent left in the building and I wish them nothing but the best moving forward.

“Because television is a great industry, journalism is a worthy profession in any functioning democracy, and I couldn’t be more grateful for all the time I’ve spent so far, working in media.

“So, for now, as I sign off for the last time from 7NEWS.. it’s good night from me.

Here’s hoping my horoscope for tomorrow will be for brighter times ahead.”