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Today show turns 40

Original and former hosts joined in the celebrations for the Today show's 40th birthday.

The Today show this morning marked its 40th anniversary on Nine.

Amongst the guests joining Karl Stefanovic, Allison Langdon, Alex Cullen, Brooke Boney, Sylvia Jeffreys and Tim Davies (at Disneyland) were original hosts Steve Liebmann and Sue Kellaway (from Florida).

Also celebrating were Deb Knight, Tracy Grimshaw, Liz Hayes, Georgie Gardner, Richard Wilkins and Sylvia Jeffreys.

Former host Lisa Wilkinson said via a video clip, “I don’t miss the early hours or the sleep deprivation, but I do miss the people. Both the intensely loyal audience who watched us every single day and the many thousands with met out on the road to the incredibly talented teams I was lucky enough to work with, both in front of and behind the cameras. So, Today, thank you for the honour. The smiles, the challenges and all the beautiful memories because a big piece of my heart will always stay right there with the Today show family and all  the years we spent together at breakfast time. Happy 40th birthday Today and here is to many, many more.”

There were also messages from Scott Cam, The Wiggles, Jimmy Barnes.

Stefanovic told Mediaweek, “For me, 2011 was a big stand-out. That year started with the Brisbane floods in my hometown, which were incredibly difficult to cover. Then we had a tsunami in Japan that I went and covered – I’ve never seen anything like that. I remember going into a little fishing village near Sendai, and the whole town was gone apart from the hospital that had a container ship balancing on it like a seesaw. Then we came back and Christchurch had an earthquake.”

His other highlights feature ordinary people in extraordinary moments.

“There’s the guy who busted a plugger when he was making a citizen’s arrest. There’s the guy that arrested someone with only his undies on in Brisbane, because they drove into his local fish and chip shop. They’re the yarns that I love – I love Australia, and I love uniquely Australian stories. I’ve had the fortune and privilege to present plenty of those over the years.

“It’s the only job in the world where you go from the Prime Minister to the Logies or the Oscars, and you’ve got to shift gears with equal panache, and tap dance your way through it. That’s why it is the most difficult job, I think, on television, and why it’s the most rewarding if you get it right. If you don’t, it can be incredibly embarrassing!”

This post updates.

3 Responses

  1. I liked the trip down memory lane. I didn’t watch it in the beginning as I was on my way to work at that time back then. Hard to believe now with it starting at 5.30 that it used to start at 7.00. Now they’re half way through the show then. I used to watch it if I was home on a day off. Now I tape both Today & Sunrise & fast forward through the bits that don’t interest me. Had thought Jessica Rowe would make an appearance since she & Karl made peace a while back on her podcast.

  2. This is fantastic to see especially given some have left the show over the years with minimal acknowledgement. Great that Lisa was able to record a message.

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