Sunrise (2015-Sept 2020)

Nat said at the end of today’s show she will be off on Monday and Tuesday.

4 Likes

I think either Sally Bowery or Monique Wright will do news on those days.

2 Likes

I think Eddy might be returning from maternity leave next week.

7 Likes

Eddys instagram stories mentioned that today is her last day of maternity leave so she should be back next week

8 Likes

No disrespect to Matt intended, but this could also clear the decks for Sam and Nat to host together again (say) next Friday, or whenever Kochie next has a day off.

I really hope you’re right, but I’m dubious.

Will be great to have Eddy back, but unfortunately that means the end of Nelson’s regular appearances. It’s a shame they’ve never really found a way of incorporating them both.

5 Likes

They should use Nelson on weekends if he’s available. Then Sally doesn’t have to do news and the Pop segment. Probably not really the best combo for a newsreader’s credibility.

4 Likes

I remember he was working seven days at one point when Boland was there. Doing weekend entertainment would be better than nothing, but I’d like to see him more than that.

I’d suggest leaving Nelson on entertainment, get Eddy to do features and move Shaun White to Sydney reporting, that way they don’t have to rely on the 7 News reporters.

Good news is Nelson is still going to be there on Monday:

https://twitter.com/NelsonAspen/status/1266329030288179200?s=20

4 Likes

IIRC, he used to be “Sunrise reporter” before Jessica Ridley (née Dietrich) took over either late 2015 or early 2016. Gabrielle Boyle (now Today Sydney reporter) also held that role in 2013.

I remember once White reported from somewhere along the M2 at Baulkham Hills in January 2015.

Sydney doesn’t have a dedicated Sunrise reporter/correspondent like the other markets do so White would be a natural perfect fit.

2 Likes

Sunrise won week 22 breakfast ratings. The show was down slightly from the previous week to its lowest audience since the COVID-19 pandemic saw ratings go up, but it was till about 20,000 higher than before the pandemic. Today was second, breaking News Breakfast’s run of second places, rating 85,000 lower than Sunrise. News Breakfast’s average audience was 3,000 less than Today.

5 Likes

Doubtful. They’ll be looking to do with Matt what they did with Sam. Get the audience used to him so he can take over from Kochie.

3 Likes

As we have said 100 times, well I have, I like Matt but I don’t like him for Sunrise. He is the complete wrong person to take over from Kochie.

2 Likes

Personally, I think Mark Beretta really should be the presenter to succeed Kochie when the time comes.

Mind you, the same could’ve been once said about Natalie Barr and Melissa Doyle but we all know what happened there!

2 Likes

Surely the reason they are using Matt is for familiarity.

Previously Angie was being used as the fill in newsreader, she is now on maternity leave, as is Edwina.

In order to have Nat co-host, you either get Monique (if she’s available) or Ange Cox (if she’s available). If not your answer would be leave Nat where she is and get Matt in.

I wouldn’t read too much in to Matt filling in. They have spend 3ish years now with Nat as the main substitute for Kochie. I think that will return to normal with Eddy back.

That’s what I think too. If they wanted to go down that path they could make Matt the permanent Friday presenter (much like how the Sam and Nat partnership was pretty much semi-permanent on Fridays in 2019); that’s if Kochie has already reverted back to four-days-a-week.

With border restrictions in place I also cannot see Basil Zempilas filling in as co-host of either Sunrise or Weekend Sunrise until at least Christmas. Michael Usher could also be an option, now that it appears he is working less days on The Latest (this week, he only presented on Thursday).

You would then have to realise why he may be taking time off - he would be too busy to be considered for Sunrise?

1 Like

Eddy returns from maternity leave on Monday.

3 Likes

I agree that’s what they are doing. But they’d be foolish if they think that Matt replacing Kochie will have the same effect. Sam was the main newsreader fill-in for a few years, did six months as Mel’s main fill-in and was weekend host for 7 years all before she was promoted. Matt has been on weekends for six months.

More so, they have a lot of market research that dates back years that shows Kochie is very popular with viewers. Every time there is an article about Sunrise’s ratings, media analysts always attribute the success to the familiar team. Why change now? Koch leaves and it becomes a very different show. Anyway, Matt isn’t the best successor (I’d love to hear from anyone who actually thinks he is).

2 Likes

When was this? Surely couldn’t be the first half of 2013 when Mel was on holidays.

Mark Beretta, who I like heaps, had his go back in 2000 and it wasn’t successful unfortunately.