Ray Martin says if he ever gets the "interview of the moment" with former Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks, he doesn't know if he'll give it to the Nine Network.
The 63-year-old announced he had quit the broadcaster on Thursday after 30 years, saying he had done everything he could at the network.
There is speculation that he had been unhappy about not receiving his own chat show, and a decision to move the Sunday program, which he co-hosted with Ellen Fanning, to an earlier timeslot this year.
But Martin rejected suggestions that he had fallen out with the network, and said reports that he fled the broadcaster's Willoughby offices in an angry rage on Thursday were "unequivocally untrue".
Martin, who started as a 60 Minutes reporter at Nine in 1978, became one of the network's most high profile personalities, hosting The Midday Show, A Current Affair and the annual Carols By Candlelight for many years.
He has done more than 10,000 interviews for Nine, including Don Bradman, Lindy Chamberlain and Terri Irwin, but still desperately wants to interview Mr Hicks.
However, when asked if he got an interview whether he would give it to Nine or the highest bidder, he said: "Good question."
"I'd do it for Chinese television, I'd do it for the Cubans," Martin told Sydney radio station 2GB.
"As Lindy Chamberlain was the interview when she came out of jail, I think David Hicks is the interview at the moment.
"I certainly need a bankroll somewhere because he's going to ask for money and I think he deserves money at the end.
"But I don't know, watch this space and ask me in about a month's time."
Martin, who says he's not planning on retiring any time soon, said he came to the decision to leave Nine after meetings with chief executive David Gyngell which wrapped up on Wednesday.
He said while a number of his ideas weren't accepted by Gyngell, the meetings were left discussing catching up over a beer, and plans for his farewell party.
"There wasn't a raised voice in three meetings I had with David, who's a friend, we just agreed to differ over what I wanted to do and what he wanted to do," Martin said.
Martin said Mr Gyngell had rejected his idea for a chat show during meetings, but he said he had no hard feelings.
"I'm often wrong so maybe it's not the right time for it," Martin said.
"There are a few other programs I mentioned that I also think would work, but the wisdom of the third floor said no.
"Well, they could be right."
Martin believes that the network, which is struggling to regain ground after a ratings slide, had been damaged after a "a number of people lost their way in it", but said it wasn't irretrievable.
Martin said he was planning on spending more time with his son and daughter in the next month and also has a few book projects he wants to work on.
He was due to return to the Sunday program this weekend and Nine has yet to announce a replacement.
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