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Sunrise farewells Melissa Doyle

Kerry Stokes & Tim Worner farewell Melissa Doyle and confirm her Afternoon News and 7TWO roles.

Mel Doyle-3SunriseSeven West Media Chairman Kerry Stokes and CEO Tim Worner both joined with the Sunrise cast and crew to farewell Melissa Doyle after 14 years, 11 of them alongside David Koch.

Seven has now confirmed her new roles, joining Matt White as hosts of a 4pm afternoon bulletin (starts August 19), and a new 7pm bulletin on 7TWO from Monday.

Kerry Stokes paid tribute to her early years and her future role.

“Mel you brought it to life. The network had a dream and you guys brought it to life for the viewers, you created what the viewers wanted to see in breakfast television. They love you, they love the programme and I can tell you from the boardroom down, everybody supports this programme and you in particular and the only thing that makes it good today is the fact that you’re leaving is good for the network because our commitment to news will see you in a new news brand on Seven at 7 from now on.”

Melissa Doyle 015Tim Worner thanked her for accepting a network offer to move to new roles.

“We’ve waited a long time to make the move. We’re very pleased that you agreed to do it, Mel. The way the ratings have been for Sunrise this week we’re going to lose one of you a week for the next few weeks!” he joked.

“You have changed breakfast television in Australia forever and you should be very proud of that. We certainly are, congratulations.”

Doyle thanked the network , David Koch and crew.

“As a working mum I’ve had nothing but support from everybody. From the very top to of the network right down to the people who have sat alongside me and it’s been the most extraordinary opportunity to have been involved in a programme such as Sunrise and we’ve had the best time ever and I’ve loved every second of it.

“I can’t wait for what’s ahead. I will miss every single person on the team but I will see you at other times of the day and I won’t have bags under my eyes!

“I never ever imagined the ride would come what it has become. Thankyou.”

Sunrise also included montage highlights including farewells from members of the crew, all of whom paid tribute to her warmth and off-camera personality.

Melissa Doyle 024From Monday Doyle fronts Seven News at 7 on 7TWO.

Network News Director Rob Raschke said in a statement: “There has never been a greater demand for news than there is now and Seven is determined to give Australians more choice. That’s why we’re investing in news.

“Our team is the best in the business. Our presenters are highly credentialed, experienced journalists, skilled at delivering news as it unfolds. These are exciting times.”

Also joining Seven’s Afternoon News team is meteorologist David Brown, sports presenter Jim Wilson, and network finance commentator Scott Pape, known as The Barefoot Investor.

Mel Doyle-12Sunrise

36 Responses

  1. Haven’t seen Sunrise for about 8 years and for good reason. Mel’s cringe-inducing fakeness and Kochie’s unbearable personality makes it frustrating viewing.

  2. I remember quite a few years ago now a magazine did an article on the women presenting breakfast tv, they all agreed it was the best job for mums because it meant you could spend more time with your kids, you are able to pick them up from school and have dinner with them.

    with Mel moving to afternoons, she won’t be picking the kids up and there will be days when she probably doesn’t get home in time for dinner. So she gets to sleep like a normal human being and be there with the kids in the morning, but mornings are frantic with everyone getting ready for their day ahead. school, work etc. there is not a lot of family time in the mornings before school.

    She would have been better of doing the morning news.

  3. So basically she has gone from morning to afternoon.

    I think its really nice that her children are excited that there mum will be taking them to school and making there lunches.

    It really irked me that people said its a demotion or she was sacked. I mean she gets to do 2 lots of news.

    It was disappointing Beretts wasnt there, but I guess he had the holiday planned.

  4. @Kenny
    We already have Sam Armytage replacing Mel, now replace Kochie with Rebecca Maddern, and Sunrise will be worth watching.
    Who says it has to be another male host!

  5. @Pete When Sunrise was relaunched in March 2002, Doyle and Chris Reason were the hosts, with Koch doing finance. Reason left in Oct 2002 to fight the cancerous tumour behind his kidney.
    I don’t actually know that, that’s from Wikipedia. I’ll go with it being correct!!!

  6. Well written, David. I’m so glad you didn’t go down the nasty route claiming that “sources” confirm she was sacked and that she demanded the Afternoon news spot, elbowing out Rebecca Maddern. Blah Blah.

  7. Seven’s afternoon news starting at 16:00? Does that mean it will now go for 90 minutes until 17:30 when Deal begins? I don’t think so. The news will probably still go for an hour and Seven will grab the opportunity to axe Deal and bring in a new one hour show as a lead-in to the main news bulletin.

  8. I turned over a couple of times from Today to see what they would do. Boy what an overkill. Did they really have to go to every single staff member in the building to say goodbye.
    I have to admit that I have never seen a show extend coverage just to say goodbye to someone. When Kochie gets moved on will they have to do it all again.
    Sorry but as you know i am a card carrying Today viewer and I will remain so.
    Why do Seven have to have multiple hosts on every program? Will the 4pm bulletin have advertorials? Will they just try to copy Nine News Now with 2 hosts instead of one?

  9. Great farewell. Bit disappointing Beretts wasn’t there and would’ve been nice if Adam Boland made an appearance somehow. Even Kochie lost it at the end.

  10. I like the idea of Mel fronting a new program, but another news bulletin seems rather ordinary for her.

    Hopefully the afternoon news won’t affect Seven’s local 4.30 bulletin here in Perth, which is the only good news idea they’ve had in years.

  11. Was a great show this morning. That 8am hour had me glued. Such a great person.

    Demotion? Meh. Seeing her kids and hubby on the show I genuinely felt she was making this decision for them (if not the kids deserve Oscars).

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