Channel 9 is preparing to install Tom Steinfort and Sylvia Jeffreys as the new permanent hosts of Today, leading an overhaul that will also bring new faces to sport and weather.
TV Blackbox understands Michael Atkinson will move from Weekend Today to become the weekday program’s full-time sports presenter, while Queensland based newsreader Mia Glover now appears likely to replace departing weather presenter Tim Davies.
– Advertisement –
This website has approached Nine for comment regarding the new appointments; however nothing was received prior to publication. An official announcement is expected to be made on Thursday afternoon at the network’s annual Upfronts event.
The changes represent a complete casting reboot Nine had originally intended to introduce for 2027, plans that needed to be accelerated following the abrupt departure of Karl Stefanovic.
At the beginning of 2026, Stefanovic and Nine had agreed this would be his final year on the struggling breakfast program.
The network’s original plan was for Stefanovic to complete the year alongside Sarah Abo, who in November 2025 was granted a one-year contract extension.
Stefanovic’s move to blow up his mainstream media career in June, and Abo exiting soon after for maternity leave has now forced Nine to bring its reboot plans forward.
Despite several guest appearances and media speculation linking her to the position, former Sunrise host Samantha Armytage will not become the new permanent host. TV Blackbox understands Armytage was ultimately unwilling to work the long hours required for the reduced salaries received by the current generation of TV presenters.
– Advertisement –
Instead, Nine is preparing to move forward with Steinfort and Jeffreys, two presenters already well known to the Today audience.
Both have considerable history with the program, and their recent appearances together have effectively provided Nine with an opportunity to test the pairing before committing to the new line-up.
Steinfort previously co-hosted Weekend Today and served as the weekday program’s news presenter before moving into senior reporting roles with 60 Minutes and, more recently, the Nine News Melbourne desk.
Jeffreys joined Today as its national news presenter in 2014 and remained with the program until the end of 2018. She later returned to morning television as co-host of Today Extra and has continued to regularly fill in on the main breakfast program. The popular presenter recently announced on Instagram that she and her husband, Peter Stefanovic, are expecting their third child.
STEINFORT MOVE RESHAPES NINE NEWS MELBOURNE
Steinfort’s move to Today will require him to relocate his family from Melbourne to Sydney and will also bring an end to his current role alongside Alicia Loxley on the top-rating Nine News Melbourne 6pm bulletin.
Rather than install another co-presenter, TV Blackbox understands Nine intends to continue with Loxley presenting the bulletin solo.
A move designed to minimise further disruption for Melbourne viewers, while also providing Nine with a cost saving by returning to a single-anchor format.
– Advertisement –
Nine’s Today shake-up will leave Sarah Abo without a place on the breakfast program as the network backs a new hosting combination. (image – Nine)
SARAH ABO EXITS THE NETWORK
The new hosting combination means Sarah Abo will not return to Today and will now exit the network entirely despite recent talks focused on finding a new role for the highly talented and respected presenter.
As previously revealed by TV Blackbox, Abo signed a one-year extension in November last year, an agreement designed to keep the existing hosting partnership intact during what Nine always anticipated would be both hosts final year presenting the program.
Abo confirmed her exit from the network in a statement released on Wednesday afternoon;
“I’d like to thank the wider Today team – the amazing crew, incredible producers and my wonderful fellow hosts – you all know how much you mean to me.
It takes a special kind of crazy to wake up at the hours we do but it’s so much easier when the team feels like family. I’ll miss you all dearly.”
Michael Atkinson is set for a significant promotion as Nine reshuffles Today sport amid broader changes to the breakfast program. (image – Nine – Background edited using Google Gemini)
MICHAEL ATKINSON MOVES TO WEEKDAY SPORT
The changes extend to the sports desk, where Danika Mason is preparing to depart for maternity leave.
Michael Atkinson is set to move across from Weekend Today and become the weekday program’s new full-time sports presenter.
Atkinson only became a permanent member of the weekend team this year after building his profile through Nine News Queensland and Stan Sport, making the weekday appointment another significant step in his rise through the network.
But his departure creates another vacancy at Weekend Today, which will once again be searching for a new host.
The weekend program has endured repeated presenter changes in recent years, earning something of a “revolving door” reputation as Nine has cycled through different combinations.
Mia Glover is expected to take over Today weather as Nine refreshes several key positions across its weekday team. (image – Nine – Background edited using Google Gemini)
MIA GLOVER TO REPLACE TIM DAVIES
Weather will also undergo a change when Tim Davies finishes with the program at the end of this week after seven years in the role.
While other reports have linked Taylor Haynes and Felix Von Hofe to the vacancy, TV Blackbox understands Mia Glover is now the frontrunner to become the new Today weather presenter.
Glover is already familiar to viewers as the program’s Gold Coast reporter and has previously filled in as both a news and weather presenter for Nine.
Current weekday newsreader Jayne Azzopardi is expected to continue in her existing role on the program.
– Advertisement –
