Ex-Today Star Shares Health Struggles from the Show: ‘It Was Scary’

Clint Stanaway has opened up on the toll working in breakfast television had on his health.

The former Today show reporter and Weekend Today host, 42, shocked viewers back in September, announcing he was leaving Channel Nine after 25 years with the network.

Appearing on the Big Bros podcast, Clint revealed that the high-profile gig, coupled with radio commitments, had adverse effects on his physical and mental health.

‘Physically, first and foremost, I was just getting sick a lot, pushing the envelope,’ he admitted.     

‘I had really bad gut issues, I was getting headaches, I wasn’t sleeping well, which is ironic, because I was so tired, but I just couldn’t sleep.’

Clint admitted that the issue became so bad that he started experiencing worrying chest pains.

‘It was scary. I was getting chest issues, like I had chest pain and a bit of anxiety as well,’ he said.

‘When I finished work, I was going home because I was exhausted. I’d sit on the couch, go to bed.’

Clint admitted that burning the candle at both ends left little time for anything else outside of work.

‘In fact, every day was set an alarm, go to bed, wake up, go to work, and sometimes go to radio work, go to TV work in the same day, come home at seven o’clock, make my dinner, sit on the couch, go to bed,’ he said.

‘That was all I was doing.’

He said that he also suffered from ‘social burnout’, admitting that not being able to see his mates and family was ‘distressing’.

‘I felt really guilty because I wasn’t seeing my mates,’ he said. ‘I was just a write-off to my friends. 

‘They weren’t even bothering to invite me to birthdays because they knew I wasn’t available, and that was heartbreaking.’ 

‘That coupled with feeling s*** was just enough.’

Clint announced his shock departure in September in a statement as he admitted he had been dealing with a significant workload that he hoped to minimise.

‘It’s been a huge workload juggling both TV and being part of the Melbourne Nova breakfast team over the past couple of years,’ Clint began.

‘I am passionate about my newfound love for radio and have decided to give it priority moving forward, while I also look to strike a better work-life balance.’

He began his media career in the news library at Melbourne’s GTV9 in the early 2000s and steadily rose through the ranks. 

Clint later honed his reporting skills at WIN Television in Bendigo, before returning to 9News Melbourne, where he took on the role of news and court reporter. 

Several years later, the veteran journalist was appointed Weekend Sport Presenter for 9News Melbourne. 

In March 2024, Clint was announced as the newsreader for Nova 100’s new breakfast team, Jase Hawkins and Lauren Phillips.

‘I’m all in on radio which I’m so excited about because the show is doing some unreal things,’ Clint added on the podcast.

Despite his love for radio, Clint added that he hadn’t closed the door completely on television.

‘I still love television and I’m not closing the door completely on it. There might be some special projects that I keep working on but it’s all radio now.’