The ABC is reporting that sacked former ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie is taking the broadcaster to court over her sacking.

Multiple sources have told the ABC that Ms Guthrie has begun the formal legal process and lodged paperwork at the start of this week.

She will apparently claim the ABC board “had no reason to trigger the termination clause” in her contract.

Ms Guthrie has begun the formal legal process and lodged paperwork at the start of this week.

In the aftermath of her sacking, Ms Guthrie issued a statement saying she was considering her legal options after the organisation’s board terminated her halfway through her five-year term.

“I am devastated by the board’s decision to terminate my employment despite no claim of wrongdoing on my part,” she said in the statement.

“When I joined the ABC in 2016, I knew I had an enormous challenge in front of me to break down some of the internal barriers to progress as well as continuing to deliver programming for all Australians.

“While my contract permits the board to terminate my appointment with immediate effect, I believe there is no justification for the board to trigger that termination clause … At no point have any issues been raised with me about the transformation being undertaken, the investing in audiences strategy and my effectiveness in delivering against that strategy.”

The sacking set off a wave of outrage about editorial interference, with ABC board chairman Justin Milne eventually also forced to stand aside.

Ms Guthrie was a former Google and News Corp executive and after taking over the ABC top job in May 2016 had looked to restructure the broadcaster with an increased focus on digital content.