“Out of control” scrutiny the biggest negative for Georgie
Clickbait & paparazzi were nearly enough to turn Georgie Gardner off Today -and she names the biggest culprit.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News, Top Stories
“When they offered the job I literally did write a list of the Pros and Cons,” reveals Today co-host Georgie Gardner.
“Right at the top of the ‘Con’ was that scrutiny. It’s just insatiable. It’s crazy. You can tilt your head a certain way and guess what, you must hate Karl!
“In the 3 and a half years since I left and came back, it has just spun out of control.
“I put it down to Daily Mail I’ve got to say.
“When there is a photographer following me from work to home, that sort of thing, I’m convinced it’s Daily Mail. But how do you know, really?”
Ask any morning TV presenter (and quite a few in primetime too) and they will tell you the same thing. Live presenter comments are now the stuff of daily headlines as media look for click-bait and reactive articles they can wrap around some of TV’s most famous faces.
But Gardner says there were too many Pros that outweigh the Cons to not return to Today. At the end of the day any performer has to put aside their fears and get on with it.
“The scrutiny is one of the more unsavoury parts of the role. To a certain extent I think we have to learn to live with that,” she concedes.
“I can’t control it, so I focus on what we can control: putting to air really good content that reaches out and satisfies what the viewer wants and needs, value-adding with a bit of entertainment and fun to send them off with a smile.
“And I’m quite dull to be honest! When I’m not on air I’m running around like other mothers with the kids, catching up with my friends when energy permits. My life is fairly normal. I shouldn’t speak too soon but hopefully you won’t find me lying drunk in a gutter!”
On her “Pro” list was the show’s platform to talk about things she is passionate about. Gardner has already added a new show segment called Today’s Agenda talking more in depth about issues.
“It’s such an enormous opportunity. There is no other job like it in terms of doing something challenging and stimulating,” she adds.
“I know it’s a cliché but it is a privilege to be in people’s homes for 3.5hrs every morning, covering breaking news and everything else that comes with the show.”
Today airs weekdays from 5:30am on Nine.
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6 Responses
I know I am a glutton for punishment by reading The Daily Mail everyday but it never ceases to amaze me how many people take what they print as gospel and get very upset and angry over trivial made up stories.
I used to like their mixed grill segment which seems to have disappeared. According to Woman’s Day or New Idea, can’t remember which she only signed on because they apparently guaranteed her Karl would be gone in a year & she’d only have to put up with him for a year. Like they were in the room when the negotiations were made.
Oh well it must be true then, ha!
That would be the same Daily Mail that the parent company Nine Entertainment Co used to have a stake in
My thoughts exactly. The same Daily Mail that Channel 9 helped establish its presence in Australia.
The Daily Mail are truly the poison of the Australian media industry. They’ll take a one line tweet from a troll and make it a headline. This sort of lazy click bait journalism is extremely damaging for the marketplace in terms of it’s talent, it’s creativity and fostering our industry.