Karl Stefanovic, Allison Langdon confirmed for Today
Updated: Karl & Allison Langdon take on Today from 2020 as Georgie Gardner returns to news.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News, Top Stories
Updated: It’s happening.
Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon will take over as Today hosts in 2020, (a pairing which TV Tonight first tipped back on October 16).
The move follows unsustainable ratings for the team of Georgie Gardner, Deborah Knight and Tom Steinfort.
Nine News boss Darren Wick said, “Georgie is a person of great integrity who has given everything for the past two years in hosting one of the most demanding and high profile shows on television. She’s loved and admired by her colleagues and she cares passionately about the stories she tells.
“We took a bold decision to try something new with two women hosting the Today Show this year and regrettably that has not worked for the audience.”
Karl Stefanovic said, “The show and the audience make me feel alive. I’m up for the fight and I want to fight for our audience. Ally is her own confident, capable woman and I will be there to help her any step of the way but we are equals in this fight and I feel confident in our partnership.
“We’re both good journalists and we both love a laugh.”
“There is a lot of hard work ahead but I can tell you one thing, it’s not going to be boring! I love the unpredictability of live TV… and Karl,” said Langdon.
“Wind him up and let him go! I’m sure we’ll butt heads, but we’ll do it with a smile on our face. I just want to help our viewers get their day off to a good, fun start.”
Georgie Gardner will return to News roles next year and will not return to Today.
“I was consulted two weeks ago about the future direction of the Today Show, and naturally I’m disappointed with the outcome,” she said.
“However I’m very proud to have been part of an innovative and progressive programming decision – the first female hosting duo in Australian breakfast television.”
“It was a privilege to work on the Today Show for nine years, I learned a lot. I have no regrets, even though the scrutiny and public discourse has been daunting and disproportionate. It’s also at times been cruel,” said Gardner.
“My plan now is to return to my first love, news, and to catch up on some sleep! I am grateful for the support and friendship offered by my Today Show colleagues on-air and behind the scenes and I am humbled by the unwavering loyalty and kindness of viewers.
“They have made my job more rewarding than they will ever know.
“I leave with fond memories and wish the new team every success. See you on a TV screen in 2020.”
Tom Steinfort and entertainment reporters Richard Wilkins and Brooke Boney, will remain with Nine with Wick saying the full line up of Today in 2020 “will be announced in due course”.
Nine is yet to comment on roles for Deborah Knight or Tony Jones.
With Langdon moving from Weekend Today, and Sonia Kruger departing Today Extra for Seven, there are also further Nine roles to fill.
Stefanovic and Langdon are due to start in early January at Nine’s Willoughby studios before Nine relocates to North Sydney later in 2020.
Source: 9now.com.au
Photo: Instagram
Share
- Tagged with Today, Weekend Today
61 Responses
I think its poor form to have a go at the viewers for not liking… loving … falling over the people that front a tv morning show. I did not like them. I don’t know them, I will never met them, but I stopped watching. I don’t like the main people on the show. It was flat. They might be the nicest humans on the entire planet but the show is meh! Which is why we are all commenting. I’ll switch it back on when Karl comes back.
Yes people, two women can work, however I prefer a man and a woman to present a breakfast show to have a balance dynamic between the sexes. I am glad Karl is coming back and I am happy for Allison. It will be interesting to see how things go ratings wise.
As My dear old Nana would say Karl is laughing all the way to the bank $$$$$$$$
I did watch Today for most of this year and their biggest issue has to have been Tony Jones – his demeanour is not suitable for that kind of show a s he never seemed to be present with the rest of that team , like there were days where they’re all in the studio and he’s sitting by his fireplace with his dog!! Not a good look!
He never wanted to be there from the beginning. His demeanour goes some way of destabilising the hosts each and every time he appeared.
Karl’s back? A good reminder of why I have no intention of waking up with Today.
Is Georgie actually staying with 9? Their statement is vague in saying she plans to return to news but says other members of the team will remain with the network. Georgie has such warmth and wit but she has been put in such a difficult position for the last two years.
Yes.
What a backward move for Today. They obviously need to fit Karl in somewhere for 2020 to pay him out. It was his name/brand that brought down the show in 2018. In 2019 Today has brought barely any real news – half the morning spent promoting MAFs or The Block or ACA stories and that Tony guy who does the sport really doesn’t want to be there- it has been evident all year.
Nothing wrong with the two women dynamic, it works for Sunrise and works great for Today in USA. I think they are the top raters over Good Morning America? I think Tom Steinfort was also a big contributing factor to their downfall and don’t even get me started on Tony Jones. Speaking to Georgie and Deb like he did on Friday morning was so embarrassing for them and very nasty. I hope he is the first to go.
Agree…that was a shocker…very unprofessional…I do not watch…and dont know the male concerned…only the re runs on social media….Maybe he is not a morning person… ?
On the US Today show Craig Melvin has been bought in to balance out the female hosts.
Even less reason to watch. Just dumb.
It feels abit like politics lol one minute your in then your knifed!…. They should give deb the news role at least. She was the standout of them all and doesnt deserve to be completely shafted. If she does get the boot bring back Sylvia while your at it!
Was this the huge casting announcement foreshadowed in this week’s newsletter or is that still to come?
No. Should be tomorrow.
I’d say that is either the host n co host of big brother ( old contenstant as side kicks ) or the all star survivor cast
Or maybe some of the I’m A Celeb contestants?
Karl will stuff up again can’t help himself then there will be calls to sack him again!
This kinda reminds me of the Dallas cliffhanger where Bobby died and at the end of a season Pam wakes up and sees Bobby in the shower and it was explained that the previous season was all Pam’s dream *lol*
Lol random.
And we all know what happened next. Dallas limped to its inevitable end. It’s great to read all these years later the dream season is still referenced.
Dallas “limped to its inevitable end” after Patrick Duffy returned?
After he returned, it ran for another 5 seasons.
That’s a lon-n-n-n-g limp
What I’m saying is I think 9 will be trying to convince us the past year of Today “never happened”
Idiots.
The format of the show is the issue. Also the dated set.
The media is to blame. They wanted Karl gone, he went. Now they want him back, so he is.
I hope it fails spectacularly.
Brilliantly articulated
Karl was dumped due to poor ratings. Now he’s back to increase poor ratings.
Nine might want to look at the people making these decisions
Is there really that much of a lack of talent that they have to resort to going back to Stefanovic? They need to remember all the reasons why they sacked him in the first place, including the beginning of the sliding ratings once Lisa Wilkinson left. Karl is an embarrassment that the network could have do without.
Also comes down to content and production. Switched on this morning, both ABC and Sunrise had blanket coverage of the fires, 100+ homes destroyed, 3 people missing. Today had an interview with some guy in San Francisco promoting ‘Master’-something. Be staying with ABC.
You watch all three but you’ll be staying with ABC? Are you sure you don’t work at Southbank or Ultimo 😉
This morning I was interested in who was covering what fires and where, hence ‘surfing’ all three. Didn’t bother with 10. No, I only watch ABC Breakfast. No, never worked at ABC. I did work at TCN9 in 1960s-70s. So sad to see what they now serve up as ‘entertainment’. “Today” with Steve Liebermann, Sue Dellaway, Diana Ward, Tony Charlton, Mike Walsh gave more than 30 mins of ads and promos per hour.
I have been with ABC News from the beginning…no ads…good reporting/reporters…still have banter…but fun not putting anyone down and not over bearing…just intermittent…?
Usually has a much more comprehensive coverage of events like fires & usually Karl was the go to guy on the ground
Interesting. I wonder how this will go… Hopefully Georgie or Feb will replace Sonia
Georgie’s far better than talking about the Kardashian’s and diet fads on Today Extra…
I doubt she’d gel with David Campbell
While I’ve liked the girls hosting I have missed Karl & have liked Alison on the weekend shows. I really hope this works. I’m sick to death of Sunrise beating Today. We need Today back on top again.
Well, it had to happen. Nine, unusually for commercial TV, gave the new team the whole year to find their feet and for whatever reason viewers just didn’t take to them.
Karl knows if he knocked it back there is nothing left in Nine halls for him. This time next year won’t be returning so what else was he to.do? Maybe a few 60 min segments. Must have agreed to a pay cut one assumes.
Sink or swim.
Darren Wick seems to be saying that the current format hasn’t succeeded because it is hosted by 2 women. What a sad state that would be ,if true.
And that it was a “bold decision”, in 2019, also shows that Australian tv has a long way to go.
Nor really. Having 2 women or 2 men will not work because it lacks balance. For a big show like Today you need a male and female perspective on things. If 2 females or 2 males had incredible chemistry it may have a shot.
Spot on comment, jonno.
Is Georgie back reading Sydney weekend news??
Congrats to the current Today show team. I certainly couldn’t go to work day in and day out being smashed the way they have been. On an individual level, each are incredibly good. I want to call out Deborah Knight’s weekend 6pm bulletin – she is exceptionally good at anchoring it. I will say, the photos in this morning news sites of Karl and Alison, they look so natural and I think thats the key.
Tony Jones didn’t resonate in this as well, always seemed to be wantIng to be elsewhere, Friday’s show showed him at his worst. The food question and his response to George Parker, harsh.
Am resisting the ‘I told you so’ urge here.
So…the ‘bold’ decision to have two women host hasn’t worked? Meanwhile, over at Sunrise when Kochie is away Sam and Nat host the show. That seems to be working pretty well…
Sam and Nat work together every other day so they have built up chemistry over that time. I don’t think Deb & Georgie had worked together a lot. they also through in a completely new cast just make things worse.
Yep. It’s all about chemistry. Something that Karl and Allison seem to have oodles of. The male/female thing is not relevant, and am surprised Darren Wick mentioned it.
Yeah it was that comment that made me cringe a little, both very lovely people, but just lacked on screen chemistry. They never seemed to just ‘get’ each other. I think tat was very true of the whole panel, they all seemed individual people doing their part, whereas sunrise and the project cast all seem to get on like best mates or family and can have a laugh with and at each other and not seem forced. The circle also felt like that, studio 10 started that way, but now feels less connected with each other
I think they just named a few people and added them to the show without doing screen tests and seeing how the chemistry with them, Studio 10 did, they had a week or two of getting to know each other while rehearsing on the set. This meant when show time came around they new enough about each other and where comfortable with each other that the chemistry seemed natural.
I preferred The Circle format….I have never really got into studio 10.
But would it work all the year. The media would be all over them.
Nine did well to stick with 12 months. Tony Jones was never a good fit most knew that from launch in January, he hasn’t helped.