Troy Hayden on 'tough decision' to leave Fox 10 Phoenix

Troy Hayden announced on Wednesday, June 26 that he is leaving Fox 10 in Phoenix .

It was a pretty big surprise. Hayden has worked at the station for 30 years. He made the announcement on Instagram , and he went into a little more detail than is usual for these kinds of things.

Hayden came to the station in 1994, and for the past eight years he has anchored the 7-10 a.m. segment of the morning show Fox 10 AZAM. He also anchors the noon newscast. Steve Levi, the station's vice president and news director of FOX 10/FOX 10 Xtra, said in a statement, “We thank Troy for 30 years of incredible service to the station and wish him well in his future endeavors."

What Troy Hayden said in his goodbye to Fox 10

Hayden's announcement was notable in a couple of ways. For one, he gave the usual round of thank-yous, but he really stressed how much he appreciated the audience.

"I want to say THANK YOU! Without your viewership and support, there’s no way I’m able to work at this station for 30 years," he posted. "So many memories, so many stories. Again, sincerely, thank you."

He also thanked the station "for all the opportunities over the past three decades," and in closing once again thanked Fox 10's viewers.

"But again, it’s you the viewer who have given me any success I’ve had, and I hope you’ll continue to tune in," he posted. "I’ve got so many Arizona stories yet to tell! See you soon."

What's next for Troy Hayden?

Hayden also took the unusual step of announcing that he is not leaving Valley news, though he wasn't specific about his next move.

"I’m excited tell you where I’m heading," he posted. "I’ll do that soon. It was a tough decision, but I’m confident the move will allow me to continue to grow as a journalist."

When is Troy Hayden's last day at Fox 10?

June 28 is Hayden's last day at Fox 10. A spokesperson for the station said he'll say goodbye to viewers on the morning broadcast.

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com . Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm . X: @goodyk . Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter .

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Troy Hayden on 'tough decision' to leave Fox 10 Phoenix