Hamish Macdonald 'I'M NERVOUS

The newly appointed ‘Q&A’ host is quietly preparing for the role of a lifetime

- Holly Richards

It’s true that with great power, comes great responsibility – just ask Hamish Macdonald. The respected journalist, who is a regular on both ABC and Channel Ten’s The Project, will step into the metaphorically large shoes of Q&A’s long-time host Tony Jones on February 3.

“I’m nervous and excited,” the 38-year-old tells WHO. “It’s a big role and it comes with a lot of expectation or scrutiny so I’m definitely thinking carefully about what the job is going to involve and what’s required of me.”

While Macdonald is celebrated in his own right, he is aware the show’s viewers are loyal to Jones, who has hosted Q&A since it began in 2008. “Tony has built that show from scratch,” Macdonald says. “He genuinely cares about it.”

According to Macdonald, Jones has been “extremely supportive” in the handover process after it was announced he would be retiring from the role. “Tony has been very kind and very generous,” Macdonald says. “I think it will probably be an ongoing handover process. I think I will probably save him in my phone favourites. He’s been there from the start, he created the show, there’s no-one who knows its legacy and history as thoroughly as Tony does and that’s an incredible resource to draw on. I am genuinely just learning.