There has been more upheaval at the Seven Network, with veteran Sydney journalist Robert Ovadia revealing he has been sacked.

Ovadia, who has worked at Seven for 23 years, told The Australian and the ABC on Friday that he had been axed.

“Yes, I’ve been sacked – and there will be more to say about that in the appropriate forum at the appropriate time,” he said.

The dismissal follows an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct.

The Australian revealed two weeks ago that Ovadia had been stood down pending an investigation. It also obtained emails it said were exchanged between Ovadia and a former Seven female employee four years ago.

“Seven is conducting an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Robert Ovadia,” the network said earlier this month.

There is no suggestion the allegations have been proven. Ovadia has previously said any allegations of inappropriate behaviour were false.

“Seven had told me no current or former colleagues [have] made any complaint against me, as far as I am aware,” he said.

“Any suggestion I have been inappropriate at any time is false, malicious and will be defended.”

He has reportedly hired high-profile lawyer John Laxon to represent him.

Seven is yet to make any public comment.

It is just the latest in a string of high-profile departures from Seven in recent months amid a host of controversies. They include embarrassing revelations surrounding payments made to Bruce Lehrmann amid the rape allegations against him and his subsequent defamation trial.

In late April, news and public affairs programs director Craig McPherson quit. Seven West Media said he would “take a long break” to spend time with his family – he is married to  TV personality Sonia Kruger and they share a young daughter.

McPherson was replaced by Anthony De Ceglie, who was previously editor of the West Australian newspaper.

Earlier in April, then-CEO James Warburton left, months ahead of a departure that had been scheduled for the middle of the year.

Seven has faced falling revenues amid a structural decline across the media industry, and more recently has suffered reputational fallout from its Spotlight show on Lehrmann and backing Ben Roberts-Smith in a disastrous defamation case.

Also in April, Seven announced reached a confidential settlement in the defamation claim brought by a man it wrongly identified as the person responsible for the stabbing attack at Sydney’s Westfield Bondi Junction.

In the fallout from the Lehrmann interview, Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn also left. Former Spotlight chief of staff Steve Jackson was sacked as head of NSW Police media.