Dr. Andrew Rochford exits TEN’s Breakfast
Exclusive: Dr. Andrew Rochford has left TEN's struggling Breakfast show, given a farewell by the team after the show wrapped this morning. Updated.
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EXCLUSIVE: TEN’s Breakfast show has undergone its first production casualty with Dr. Andrew Rochford leaving the show today.
Rochford was given a send-off by the Breakfast team after the programme wrapped on air this morning.
A TEN spokesperson told TV Tonight, “Andrew Rochford is leaving Breakfast, but not TEN. He will be on The Project next week and will then be seen on other TEN programs.”
Rochford was the first name to be announced as part of Breakfast, having proven a good performer on The Project, including hosting duties when Charlie Pickering was absent. But he also ended a radio role with Mix 106.5 to take up the TV gig.
The move comes as TEN’s show struggles against the competition.
Since launching in February, Breakfast has failed to attract a significant audience, usually averaging around 30,000 viewers a day. This week it has hovered between 22,000 on Monday and 40,000 and Wednesday.
When the show launched Head of News and Current Affairs, Anthony Flannery described the market as a tough, competitive environment.
“We plan to make Breakfast a must-watch part of Australia’s day. From fact to fun, it’s going to be a fresh start to the morning TV schedule.”
But the show has been unable to build through word of mouth while Sunrise and Today are regularly over 300,000 viewers.
TEN is also trailing ABC News Breakfast which airs via two channels. Yesterday the public broadcaster had 45,000 on ABC1 and 30,000 on ABC News 24, while Breakfast pulled 33,000 on TEN.
In taking on the Seven and Nine’s breakfast powerhouses, TEN indicated last year it was missing out on the morning TV revenue but was in for the long haul.
Interim CEO Lachlan Murdoch offered NZ presenter Paul Henry a lucrative million dollar deal to join the TEN show. Early media reports focussed on his track record of controversies, but so far he has managed to avoid similar outbursts and press in Australia.
Commentators have noted that with the notable exception of its weather bulletins by Magdalena Roze, the show is too similar to Sunrise and Today.
Now trimmed back to one male and female presenter in Paul Henry and Kathryn Robinson respectively, it has just lost one of its other points of difference.
UPDATE: TEN releases additional statement:
“While Andrew Rochford left his role on Breakfast today, he continues to be a talented and valuable member of the TEN presenting team. His presence on The Project will increase in the coming weeks, as we discuss more significant opportunities with the Network.”
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- Tagged with ABC News Breakfast, Breakfast, Sunrise, The Project, Today
26 Responses
I wonder if he will turn up on The Living Room?
Does he still ‘doctor’ in emergency as well as his TV commitments….if so…when does he sleep?!?
Oh and he has a young family as well….OMG!
Viewed Breakfast last week. Host Paul Henry made some disparaging remark about their blonde weather girl ‘eyes glazing over’ when they spoke about finance/tax matter then later snorted – must’ve had a cold I guess. Disgusting. Turned straight back over to Today’s big Disneyland travel promotion.
I still prefer this over the two breakfast cash game shows, Sunrise and Today…
With Ten having ignored the breakfast show concept for years and years, for the much cheaper option of cartoons, it’s a matter of people already having their preferences, so for a new show to find its feet, it’ll have to be around for several years.
so the Sunday edition of the project will be Sydney based. After the massive success of this weeks Sydney shows in the same looking studio and same hosts….. they need to cut the sunday show and keep consistent hosts, not introduce Dr Bore
What the?
Wrong person really. Andrew & Kath would have been better than Paul and Kath. Breakfast very well might be axed by the end of the year.
This might allow Andrew to return to his health roots though. Maybe an Aussie version of The Doctors or a reboot of What’s Good For You, perhaps?
Good luck Andrew! Bad call Ten!
I reckon Andrew Rochford would be a lot more use to the world as a Doctor rather than fannying around on television. That being said, he’s an engaging personality and could probably do a bit of both
It’s going to take much, much more than Andrew Rochford’s departure to fix this turkey.
Ten have lost the plot.
It’s the pompous, impossible to stomach & unwatchable Henry that is the major problem with the show. Have they done any market research? Surely the opinions expressed here can’t be the complete opposite to the rest of the population?
Once the coolest free to air network, now the lamest.
Right now Gina is screaming ” Put Bolt in there!”
Without Andrew they have lost me! Andrew was the talent! He’s not the one that needs to go. I would watch any show for Andrew Roachford, guess I will be watching The Project.
I catch the last bit of Breakfast when waiting for The Circle… Dr Dimples never looks happy with the level of conversation going on.
If his role is increased within The Project… that could be another indicator the show is headed to Sydney
Well this may be the unravelling of the TV show before it hits the year mark which I think is due to the lack of Channel Ten personalities that draw viewership.
The reason why The Project is so much more successful is that it was built off the back of Rove which is why it can draw.
I’ve tried Breakfast but it’s just not slick enough or have enough point of difference for me to change my Sunrise habits. I think Ten would be better off not engaging the war and putting on altogether different programming… Or even going the UK route. If NBC and CBS can have their breakfast shows on our screens, why not BBC or ITV?
The problem isnt with Andrew Rochford, It is with ten’s brand …. as long as it plays continual reality rubbish Ten is going to have low ratings ………
Can of Worms?
He’s not the one that needed to go. I would watch the show for Andrew Roachford. But i don’t watch because of Paul Henry. Ten made a big mistake. If it wants viewers, get rid of Henry. The show was always doomed when he was signed.
The problem for Ten Breakfast is the Kiwi. Andrew is a great talent who is well liked by the public. Another great decision by Lachlan Murdoch.
I think andrew was a great asset to the team, sad to see him go. Hopefully ten does something good with him!
As long as Paul Henry is on the show, I won’t be watching..nothing can save the show with him as a host.Rochford deserved a lot better talent to work with.
Whoops!! Wrong team member! Andrew is credible, fair, level and capable as opposed to you-know-who. This won’t help at all. When Paul Henry gets his pink slip, maybe, just maybe Breakfast will become edible.
He always has medicine to fall back on lol. Imagine having such a good profession to fall back on when your alternative doesn’t work out.
Sounds to me like he was given a pink slip and told not to bother coming in on Monday. He’s probably better off going back to co-hosting duties on The Project, to be honest. The Breakfast gig is a road that is going nowhere, career wise.
Wasn’t expecting that, I recon he has gotten the boot. Never really liked the 3 host for this. He has recently been doing his own thing and not on the lounge. I don’t think he was a good host anyway, but good luck to him in the future.