Nine reveals full Today and Today Extra line-up as it gears up for launch on 6 January
Nine has confirmed the new-look Today will land on screens on 6 January, with Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon on the desk.
They will be joined by Brooke Boney, who is staying on as entertainment presenter, Tracy Vo as newsreader, Alex Cullen on sports and Tim Davies on weather. The team will be overseen by director of morning television, Steven Burling. Burling replaced Mark Calvert, who stepped down a year ago.
Karl Stefanovic will be back on the Today desk in January
Today has had a complex run of talent changes in the past two years. Stefanovic had been the host for 14 years, many of those with Lisa Wilkinson, who spent 10 years at the desk. Wilkinson left in 2017, after contract negotiations broke down very publicly. She swiftly moved to Ten for The Sunday Project.
Gardner came in to replace Wilkinson, but shortly after Stefanovic was dropped following a media storm after he was reportedly venting about Nine management and Gardner in an Uber, which was recorded and leaked. There was also intense tabloid scrutiny on his personal life. His brother, Peter Stefanovic, who had also been involved in the Uber conversation, left the network shortly after. He is now with Sky News.
Karl Stefanovic left at the end of 2018, with Deb Knight and Tom Steinfort announced for the 2019 lineup, alongside Gardner. The show struggled to get off the ground though, and faced backlash over the lack of chemistry between its leads.
Wilkinson exited to 301,000 metro viewers, 256,000 tuned in for Gardner’s first outing, and 239,000 watched after Stefanovic was announced to be leaving – but just 197,000 tuned in for the first episode with the new lineup.
In November, it was revealed Knight and Gardner had been bumped in favour of the return of Stefanovic and Langdon.
Langdon is a rising star in the Nine Network. She’s been a reporter with 60 Minutes and hosted Weekend Today. She has worked alongside Stefanovic for many years, and the two are thought to have better on-air chemistry than Knight and Gardner.
Steinfort, Gardner and Knight couldn’t find their feet in the ratings
Sports presenter Tony Jones also left the show recently, going out with a bang after he “got the arse”.
Steinfort has been moved back to 60 Minutes and weather presenter Stevie Jacobs is leaving Nine to “pursue other interests”.
Knight will be moving to Nine’s newly-acquired radio asset Macquarie Media, to replace Steve Price who has been dropped. Gardner will stay on as a weekend newsreader across the Nine network.
Burling said the two new hosts knew how to have a laugh – which is important.
“Ally and Karl are quite simply two of the best news broadcasters in the country. Both have reported from conflict zones, they are more than comfortable going toe-to-toe against our most formidable politicians and quite honestly they’re who you’d turn to in times of breaking news, be it here in Australia or anywhere in the world.
“Importantly though, Ally and Karl also know how to have a good laugh, they both have an infectious, self-deprecating sense of humour that I believe will appeal to viewers and the rest of the on-air team.
“We’ve brought together a team that Australia will love waking up with in 2020. As one of Perth’s most recognisable news presenters, Tracy will anchor the news bulletins; Tim has resonated with viewers presenting weather on weekends, balancing light hearted segments with the sometimes dire forecasts covering bushfires and weather disasters.
Sylvia Jeffreys has been working across Nine’s Future women brand and will replace Sonia Kruger on Today Extra
“Alex Cullen is a trusted voice on Australian television and we welcome him to Today, where his recent fill-in stints have won over viewers. And Brooke will continue the great work of delivering entertainment news and interviewing some of the world’s biggest stars.”
Nine was also hunting for a replacement for Sonia Kruger, who left Today Extra this year to rejoin the Seven network. She will host its new format Mega Mini Golf. The role will go to Sylvia Jeffreys, who has been somewhat in limbo after the Stefanovics left the network and it was announced she wouldn’t be returning to Today in 2019, where she had been a news presenter. She has worked across A Current Affair and hosts the 9 News Watch Facebook bulletin for the network. Jeffreys will sit alongside remaining host David Campbell and Belinda Russell will cover while she is on maternity leave.
Weekend Today, which is losing Langdon, will be hosted by Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern, with Lara Vella on news and covering Jayne Azzopardi while she’s on maternity leave. Lauren Phillips will present weather.
topics
Alex Cullen
Brooke Boney
David Campbell
Deb Knight
Deborah Knight
Georgie Gardner
Karl Stefanovic
Mark Calvert
Nine
Peter Stefanovic
Richard Wilkins
Sonia Kruger
Steven Burling
Sylvia Jeffreys
The Today Show
Tim Davies
Today
Today Extra
Today show
Tom Steinfort
Weekend Today
Watching paint dry is equally as exciting as this ‘line up’.
Frankly too much space in the trade press is allocated to this off peak, low cost, time filling program.
I certainly won’t be watching…. ‘a team that Australia will love waking up with..’…..Karl is yesterdays news.
User ID not verified.
You guys have lost the plot. Getting rid of Georgie Gardner and now Stevie Jacobs are two poor decisions. Karl Stefanovic is full of himself and boring. Kerry Packer would be turning in his grave. I will be switching to Channel 7.
User ID not verified.