According to Annette Sharp, the sun may finally be setting on Richard Wilkins’ long media career. Nine insiders have told her Wilkins will have a reduced role on air in 2023. After 35 years, Richard has a new title of ‘Network Entertainment Editor’ - a subtle change of title suggesting his future might lie off camera.
Annette must have her information wrong when she then went on to say that sources insist that he will be replaced with the replacement being Charles Croucher (who just left the program to join Canberra)?? She also says that Belinda Russell’s contribution is under review.
Unsure how credible this article is, but she does have a point here. Belinda doesn’t really do anything other than hosting the Weekend show and the occasional fill in during the week. I’m not a Belinda fan but she is popular with viewers and she’d be better suited to hosting Today Extra with DC because their chemistry is unrivalled.
For some reason they just wont get rid of him from Today and it annoys me. He should keep interviewing all his “A” list celebrities from THE 70s and 80s but put it on ACA and 60minutes, where hes a better fit now.
It’s a decent promo to reassure existing Today viewers that despite there being a new co-host, it’ll be the same show they’re used to.
However, don’t think it does a good job providing a ‘hook’ for viewers who don’t watch Today to sample it. Not to mention it doesn’t really introduce Sarah.
You’re not wrong, it doesn’t provide anything ‘new’ other than Sarah, but they could’ve done this promo so much worse, akin to what The Project have dished up for their Sarah, this is perfection compared to that. This promo does show a good back and forth between Stefanovic and Abo, if this was Langdon it would’ve had a different energy to it for example.
I think the point is though for Sarah not to feel new and different. That’s very much a business as usual, just with a new face, promo. Understandable when she’s replacing someone who was relatively popular - if Ally had been unpopular and poor in the role they’d probably put more emphasis on her no longer being on the show.
