TVNZ spokeswoman Andi Brotherston has quit. Brotherston - who embroiled in the fallout defending former Breakfast host Paul Henry - said she was sick of the huge amount of flak.
The biggest backlash came in July 2010 after Henry asked Prime Minister John Key whether he'd choose a new Governor-General "who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time".
Brotherston issued a statement on behalf of TVNZ which said: "The audience tell us over and over again that one of the things they love about Paul Henry is that he's prepared to say the things we quietly think but are scared to say out loud."
She apologised but her offer to resign soon after was rejected.
"I've had an amazing three years and learned heaps," she said this week. "It's just a great job, but ultimately it's just a thankless job. It's been fun and interesting but I just want to go and do something that feels like I'm contributing more ... I don't feel that I'm contributing to the community in any way by doing what I'm doing."
Brotherston, who is married to sports broadcaster Martin Devlin, said she was leaving on her own terms.The broadcaster said it would not comment on an individual's employment matters.