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Nine’s Today launches ‘We Love Australia’ week to counter Seven’s Sunrise world tour

The Today team announcing the tour this morning

The Today team announcing the tour this morning

Channel Nine’s breakfast show Today has launched three weeks of special events it hopes will retain viewers in a bid to counter rival Channel Seven show Sunrise’s World Tour, which launched this morning.

This week Today is giving away new cars to viewers, and from September 28 is set to send its hosts out on tour to spots including Broome, Darwin and Cairns for its third ‘We Love Australia Week’.

Sunrise this morning is broadcasting from Dubai as part of a a bid to broadcast from five countries in five days, with executive producer Michael Pell telling Mumbrella: “This is probably the hardest thing you can ever do as a live television show. It’s never been attempted before and there may be a reason for that.”

Nine’s Today has been closing the gap on its Seven rival in recent months and has beaten it on several occasions in the OzTam overnight metro ratings.

Sunrise is visiting Dubai,London, UK; New York, USA; Niagara Fall, Canada; and Cancun, Mexico during the week, and replaces its annual roadtrip around the US.

Today’s tour will end in Melbourne on October 2, the Friday before the AFL and NRL grand finals.

In a press release Today co-host Lisa Wilkinson said: “This is our third We Love Australia tour, and once again we’re reminded how many brilliant holiday spots we have in this country.

“Our viewers clearly love it when we hit the road. We just love meeting everyone and getting to showcase all that Australia has to offer.”

Co-host Karl Stefanovic added: “We live in the best country on the planet. Why on earth would you want to go anywhere else? We’re going to break records with the number of people Lisa buys a beer for. And I’ve got a funny feeling I’ll finally find love for Dickie. Come on, girls – make it third time lucky for the handsome devil.”

The Today tour schedule:

  • Monday, September 28 – Broome, WA and Narrabeen, NSW
  • Tuesday, September 29 – Darwin, NT and Coffs Harbour, NSW
  • Wednesday, September 30 – Longreach, QLD and Cairns, QLD
  • Thursday, October 1 – Sunshine Coast, QLD and Adelaide, SA
  • Friday, October 2 – Melbourne, VIC and Hawkesbury River, NSW
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