Gold Logie winner Sonia Kruger appears to be staying on with Channel Seven after unconfirmed reports surfaced this week that she has re-signed with the network.
And speculation is mounting that the 59-year-old veteran presenter appears to be heading for a new starring role.
A TV insider has revealed that Seven will announce Kruger’s new gig at the network Upfronts for 2025 in the next months.
Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle on Tuesday a source teased that the new role will involve reporting and ‘location’ work.
‘Sonia is at her best when she can ad-lib,’ they said, and continued:
‘Giving her a microphone and getting real people to open up is a real skill set she can do effortlessly, so I think it’s a waste not to get her out there again in that sort of capacity. I think Sonia wants more and rightfully so.’
Meanwhile, a second insider told the publication that Sonia’s new job at Seven would be ‘meatier’ than her current hosting roles on The Voice and Dancing with the Stars.
Sonia joined Seven in 2020 on a three-year contract and the source has indicated that her new role will give the beloved star a chance to show off her journalistic skills.
Gold Logie winner Sonia Kruger (pictured) appears to be staying on with Channel Seven after unconfirmed reports surfaced this week that she has re-signed with the network
They even suggested that they might use Sonia to revive a current affairs format like Today Tonight, a one time rival to nine’s A Current Affair, which ran on Seven between 1995 and 2019.
It comes after Channel 10 announced last month that it would be airing Big Brother in 2025 after spending four years on Channel Seven.
However, fans may be surprised to learn that familiar faces Sonia Kruger and Gretel Killeen, who previously hosted the show, were never in the running for the hosting gig.
Speculation is mounting that the 59-year-old veteran presenter appears to be heading for a new starring role on Seven. Pictured: Kruger has hosted Big Brother for Seven since 2020
An industry insider revealed to Yahoo Lifestyle that neither Sonia nor Gretel were ever considered for the 2025 reboot.
While both women are synonymous with past seasons of Big Brother – Sonia having hosted its latest run on Channel Seven and Gretel being the original face of the show in the early 2000s – Channel 10 has selected Nova presenter Mel Tracina to host.
‘Network 10 wanted someone fresh that felt similar to the network hiring Gretel back in 2001,’ the insider explained.
‘Mel Tracina is hoping to bring something unique to the format but her sense of humour, support of women, and not being afraid to take men to task will echo a lot of what Gretel Killeen did with the format.’
Fans of the iconic reality series remember Killeen for her sharp wit and fearless hosting style, which became a defining feature of Big Brother in the early years.
However, with Tracina stepping in, it seems the network is keen to bring in new energy for the reboot, without straying too far from what made the show a hit.
Adding to the drama, it has been revealed that Channel 10’s announcement was met with resistance from Channel Seven.
According to TV Tonight, Channel Seven issued a legal letter to Endemol Shine Australia, the production company behind the show, reminding them of a ‘hold back’ on the Big Brother format until mid-2025.
This contractual clause prevents any new production activities, including casting or announcing a host, until the clause expires.
‘You can’t start production in the middle of a hold back,’ a source told TV Tonight. ‘You can’t be casting, you can’t be announcing hosts or signing deals.
Sonia joined Seven in 2020 on a three-year contract and the source has indicated that her new role will give the beloved star a chance to show off her journalistic skills. Pictured: Kruger with former Dancing with the Stars co-host Daryl Somers
Despite this, Channel 10 remains optimistic about moving forward with their plans for 2025.
For die-hard fans, Big Brother’s return to Channel 10 feels like a homecoming. The series first premiered on the network in 2001 and ran for nine successful seasons, including a celebrity edition, until 2008.
After a brief hiatus, Channel Nine picked up the series, only for it to later move to Channel Seven in 2020.
With Mel Tracina now locked in as the new host, viewers are eagerly awaiting what the reboot will bring.
While the format may have changed over the years, it looks like the fresh-faced presenter will channel some of the original magic Killeen brought to the show – but with her own twist.
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