Longtime ABC 7 anchor Ravi Baichwal has left the station after 20 years, following the conclusion of his contract, a spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. The station has not named a successor; Mark Rivera will fill in alongside co-anchors Cheryl Burton at 5 p.m. and Judy Hsu at 6 p.m.
Baichwal, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, had been off the air in recent weeks. The Chicago Tribune reports the station declined to comment on a social media post describing an alleged altercation involving him at a River North restaurant in October or on the reason for his departure.
A Toronto native, Baichwal joined ABC 7 in 2006 as a reporter and weekend anchor after working for CTV News in Canada. He was promoted in 2023 to co-anchor the station’s 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts. Before moving to Chicago, he hosted CTV’s national morning show and reported for CTV National News.