There has been much speculation this week that Nine is once again set to shake up its Today show team, and a new promo that dropped yesterday has all but confirmed it.
Amid poor ratings for the network, it appears Today is ditching its all-female line-up of Deb Knight and Georgie Gardner and adding newsreader Tom Steinfort to the anchor desk.
While Steinfort has always been part of the show, it is believed he is set to take on a more prominent role beside Knight and Gardner.
Today’s new promo which dropped yesterday, featured Knight, Gardner and Steinfort with a voiceover saying: “Breakfast TV’s most experienced team of journalists. Wake up with Georgie, Tom and Deb.”
Earlier this week, The Australian reported Nine was planning to shake up the female line-up, reporting: “Today’s hosting duo Deb Knight and Georgie Gardner will effectively become a trio.
“Expect to see more of Steinfort in all facets of Today from now on, breaking up what viewers perceive to be a competitive dynamic between Gardner and Knight.”
And now, Today‘s latest promo has certainly added fuel to the fire of rumours.
A Nine spokesperson told B&T that Steinfort has “been a key part of the new Today line up since January” and will “continue to read the news”.
Nine’s flagship breakfast program has faced poor ratings since the sensational exit of former host Karl Stefanovic last year.
Around the same time, presenter Sylvia Jefferys was moved to a new role at A Current Affair while husband Peter Stefanovic farewelled Nine altogether.
In an interview with Kyle & Jackie O show on Wednesday, Jeffreys revealed the “mass upheaval” was a “strange time”.
She told the radio duo: “I thought all sorts of things at the time because it was a really weird time to be perfectly honest and there’s no reason to be beating around the bush on there, I think it’s been so heavily documented.
“It was a strange time – mass upheaval.”
Jeffreys also revealed the Today cast didn’t see the changes coming.
“We didn’t see it coming. Not to that extent. I think something had to give, there’s no doubt about that and it did eventually. Externally the pressure was massive.”
