The Today show has finally beaten a seven-year losing streak against arch-rival Sunrise – but only just.
Channel Nine’s breakfast program, co-hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo, scored an average of 231,000 viewers in the metro ratings over the week.
Seven’s Sunrise was close behind with an average of 225,000 viewers in the major centres over the same period.
This is the first time Today has managed to bring in the top breakfast TV audience over an entire week across the country’s five major metro centres in seven years, according to industry blog TV Blackbox.
Meanwhile, long time market leader Sunrise, co-hosted by Natalie Barr and Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shrivington, remains the country’s number one breakfast show in the national survey.
The national ratings combine the metro survey with viewers in regional centres and fans catching the show using broadcast-on-demand platforms.
However, Sunrise could be losing its grip on the top slot as the country’s favourite breakfast TV show.
According to TV Blackbox, Sunrise led Today by just 43,000 viewers over the last week.
Today has finally beaten a seven-year losing streak against arch-rival Sunrise. Channel Nine’s breakfast show hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo (pictured) scored an average of 231,000 viewers in the weekly metro ratings
It comes after Today star Brooke Boney shocked viewers in March when she announced her resignation live on air.
The news and entertainment reporter, 37, confirmed she will be stepping down after the Olympics in July and August to pursue an exciting new career opportunity.
On Tuesday, Channel Nine confirmed that Jayne Azzopardi, who co-hosts Weekend Today with Clint Stanaway, will be Boney’s replacement.
This is the first time Today has managed to bring in the top breakfast TV audience over an entire week in seven years reported TV Blackbox on Monday. Meanwhile, Sunrise remains the country’s number one breakfast show in the national survey. Pictured: Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington
Steven Burling, Nine’s Director of Morning Television said the Network is ‘thrilled’ to welcome Azzopardi to Today in the news chair.
Azzopardi, 44, started at Nine in 2009 as a political journalist in Canberra before joining the Sydney newsroom in 2011.
She has also previously been a newsreader for Weekend Today and was named as host in April 2023.
Meanwhile, Australian entertainment reporter Renee Bargh will join Today ‘more regularly’ alongside veteran Richard Wilkins.
Today has been shaken up recently after Nine star Brooke Boney shocked viewers in March when she announced her resignation live on air. (Pictured)
Bargh has worked as a weekend co-host for Today Extra and was also co-host of The Voice Australia alongside Darren McMullen in 2020.
Boney broke down in tears when she announced in March that she will be leave Today and move abroad to study a Masters of Public Policy at prestigious Oxford University.
‘I have some very big news for you this morning. I’ve been offered a place at Oxford University later this year, which means I’ll be leaving the show after the Olympics,’ Boney said on air at the time.
‘I don’t want to go into too much right now, because there’ll be plenty of time for goodbyes and thank-yous, but I just wanted to share that good/bad news with you all this morning.’
Earlier this month Jayne Azzopardi, who co-hosts Weekend Today with Clint Stanaway, will replace Boney on Today as news and entertainment reporter
She admitted the decision to leave her role on the program was ‘really difficult’.
‘It’s been a dream of mine to be able to study at an overseas university, and it just felt like the right time to take that step,’ she explained.
‘I’m so grateful to come in here every day and I love you all so much. So it’s made the decision really difficult. But it just means that you’ll all have to plan trips to the UK to come and visit me.’
Boney first joined the Today Show in 2019 as an entertainment reporter, replacing long-standing editor Richard Wilkins who moved across to Today Extra.
Last year Boney was promoted to newsreader, taking over from Alex Cullen who moved to focus solely on sport.
