New entertainment correspondent for Today with Richard Wilkins to focus on Today Extra

Nine has already announced Today’s new entertainment correspondent, triple j’s Brooke Boney and it signals a big shift in diversity for the show.

Nine-owned Sydney Morning Herald reports the breakfast newsreader and proud Indigenous woman will work closely with Richard Wilkins in the ‘Today family’.

News & Current Affairs boss Darren Wick confirmed that Wilkins will remain as entertainment editor at Nine but will have a greater role on Today Extra show with David Campbell and Sonia Kruger. That’s network-speak for effectively confirming his exit from the breakfast edition.

Boney will become one of the few young Indigenous women to appear on commercial TV. She departed triple j in late November.  At triple j, she started every bulletin by saying “Yaama”, which translates to “Hello” in Gamilaroi. It isn’t clear if she will be continuing that at Today.

Richard Wilkins’ position at Today has been speculated amongst this week’s upheaval at Nine.  He has been at Nine for 31 years.

TV Tonight understands entertainment reporter Peter Ford was also sounded was also sounded out, in a natural fit with his gigs at the new Nine-owned radio stations. But Ford was reluctant to make any changes to his commitments given his appearances on The Morning Show and Sunrise. Ironically, he also tipped Wilkins would shift to Today Extra.

More changes are expected to come at Today under new executive producer Steve Burling.

My name is Brooke Boney. I’m a Gamilaroi woman and I’m the breakfast news presenter on triple j. I live in Bondi but I grew up in the Hunter Valley on Wonnaruah country with my mum and five younger brothers and sisters.

I’m very lucky now to work with so many legends at the triple j and speak so many young people across the country everyday but it was not always something I thought I’d be able to. Indigenous kids do not finish school at the same rate as the rest of the population and while I’ve been a great fortunate to have support from people when I’ve needed it to get through there are heaps of young people who do not – which is where AIME comes in!

While I was studying journalism at UTS and mentored young people through AIME and it was honestly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If young Aboriginal people can see other blackfullas kicking goals, they can imagine themselves doing it too.

I’m so proud to be working with triple j – we’ve had a partnership with AIME to raise money during the Hottest 100 and we want to make this year the biggest yet. Do yourself a favor and pick up one of these rad shirts while you put your votes in. You can look cool and do something good for the world …. Voting closes at 9am tomorrow so DO IT NOW!