Long-time journalist Liz Hayes has walked away from the Nine Network after 44 years.

The 68 -year-old says she leaves feeling “extremely grateful” for the experience.

“I’m thankful for the wonderful friendships that I have endured and deeply appreciative to the many people who trusted me to tell their stories,” she said.

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“When I arrived at Nine I had little more than a notebook and a typewriter, but like my new and far more experienced colleagues, I carried with me an enormous passion for telling stories. I was blessed. I had found my tribe.

“Even Nine’s owner at the time, Kerry Packer, seemed to carry the same passionate storytelling gene.

“Of course since then much has changed. The media world has evolved as have I. What hasn’t changed is the need for good stories to be told, and I will continue to tell them.”

Hayes worked across many prime-time TV news programs, including 60 Minutes and Under Investigation, which also bore her name.

The network said that despite Hayes no longer being under contract she would always remain “part of the family”.

“Viewers can expect to see her on their screens for special stories and events,” the network said.

Beginning her career with Nine in 1981 as a reporter, Hayes climbed the ranks and eventually went on to present the morning news.

She began co-hosting the Today Show in 1986, and a decade later, she joined 60 Minutes, covering a multitude of different stories from presidential elections to international conflicts.