David ‘Kochie’ Koch quits Sunrise after two decades
David ‘Kochie’ Koch is set to leave Seven’s breakfast program Sunrise after 21 years in the job.
As the longest-serving breakfast television host in Australian history, Koch will step away from the top-rating show in two weeks.
David ‘Kochie’ Koch is leaving Sunrise after 21 years
In a statement, he said: “I have loved every single minute of my time at Sunrise, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved over the last 21 years.
“I’ve been privileged to experience so many adventures, to meet so many incredible people and to cover to many moments of history in the making. It really is the world’s best job.
“What I’ll miss most is working with the amazing Sunrise team, especially Nat, Beretts and Dave Walters who have been with me for virtually the entire time on the show. I reckon I’ve spent more time with them than my family and it has been an utter joy. I’ll miss the Sunrise viewers who have energised me every single day.
“I’ve also appreciated the support of the Seven Network, from the chairman down, for allowing me to be myself, for their understanding when I’ve stuffed up – which is more often than I’d like to admit – and for their constant encouragement and respect,” Koch said.
He added: “I know I’m going to miss it enormously, but it’s time for me to work business hours, and for Libby and I to have a bit more flexibility to enjoy our burgeoning family, to travel and focus on our family business interests in Pinstripe Media and the Ausbiz business channel. As everyone knows, I’m a finance nerd so you’ll still see me pop up every so often on RBA board meeting days or covering other big financial news, but as a guest rather than host.”
Sunrise co-host, Natalie Barr, said: “Sunrise wouldn’t be Sunrise without David Koch. For almost 21 years, I’ve sat at that desk with him and watched as he changed the way breakfast television was done in Australia. When they hired him, he said he’d do the job on one condition: that he wouldn’t be a newsreader. And boy did we get the opposite of that. He’s cut through the PR and the spin and by being himself, got to the heart of every story he’s covered.
“It’s been one of the highlights of my life to sit with him and watch.”
Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr
Seven West Media chairman, Kerry Stokes AC, said: ““David has played a central part in turning around the fortunes of the Seven Network over the past two decades to where we continue to dominate the ratings from dawn with Sunrise, a program he has been with since October 2002.
“I will personally miss David, as he is a thorough professional and a wonderful human being, particularly in the manner he has mentored so many Seven people. I wish David and his wife Libby the best after what has been a rigorous work schedule, which has also included many pro bono roles in the sports and charity arenas.”
James Warburton, managing director and chief executive officer of Seven West Media, added: “Kochie is the ultimate team player and I’m going to miss seeing him on screen every morning. I wish him, Libby and the family all the very best for the future, and thank you from everyone at Seven.”
Koch’s final episode of Sunrise will be Friday 9 June, while his role replacement is set to be announced shortly.
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Lauren McNamara is a journalist at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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Kochie was a great and engaging host on 2GB talkback breakfast radio and successfully transferred and expanded those skills and that experience, virtually to create talkback television. Quite a spectrum from starting in print, finance journalism.
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