Leigh Sales was attacked by online trolls demanding she be replaced by journalist Laura Tingle on ABC's 7.30 just days before the host announced she was retiring.
Sales has decided to step down from her role so she can spend more time with her children with the veteran host making the shock announcement at the end of Thursday's program.
Sales told viewers she wanted them to hear the news personally from her that she would retire after the federal election - which is expected to be held in May.
The announcement marks an end to an illustrious 12-year-long career that saw the host interview five prime ministers and big-named celebrities including musician Paul McCartney.
In the days leading up to the announcement Sales was targeted by online trolls who questioned her capability as host and demanded she be replaced by Tingle.
Sales has decided to step down from her role so she can spend more time with her children with the veteran host making the shock announcement at the end of Thursday's program
Leigh Sales was attacked by online trolls demanding she be replaced by journalist Laura Tingle on ABC's 7.30 just days before the host announced she was retiring
'Well let's face it Laura Tingle is Australia's foremost journalist and interviewer, able to cut through most arguments,' one person tweeted. 'Leigh Sales to me tries to push an agenda and it shows.'
Another person took to Twitter to say: 'She used to be really good not too long ago. Don't know what happened, what changed. Kinda sad to see how she turned from an ace into a bit of a dud.'
The Australian TV news presenter used strong language and appeared to disagree with her online critics about her integrity as a journalist during the Thursday segment.
Sales said she had 'tried to shut down and call out bull****, hold powerful people to account, expose lies, incompetence and exaggeration in all political parties and all issues and present facts even when they're unpopular or inconvenient'.
Online trolls seemed to disagree with several labelling her 'awful', 'pathetic' and 'a stooge'.
'Thankfully, Laura Tingle is not another pathetic Sales Liberal stooge,' one person tweeted.
Another one added:
