Weekend Today (Australian TV program)

Weekend Today is an Australian breakfast television program, currently hosted by Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern. The program has been broadcast live by the Nine Network since 2009 and airs after children's programming and runs from 7am to 10am on weekends.

Weekend Today
GenreBreakfast news program
Presented byRichard Wilkins
Rebecca Maddern
Country of originAustralia
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons10
No. of episodes526 (as of 27 April 2014)
Production
Executive producer(s)Kendall Bora
Production location(s)Willoughby, New South Wales
Running time180 minutes
Release
Original networkNine Network
Picture format576i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Audio formatStereo
Original release1 February 2009 –
present
Chronology
Preceded bySunday
Sunday Morning News
Related showsToday
Today Extra
External links
Website

History

In January 2009, David Gyngell, chief executive of the Nine Network and John Westacott, former head of news and current affairs announced that Today would begin broadcasting on Sunday mornings. The program entitled, Today on Sunday, competes in the same timeslot as the Seven Network's Weekend Sunrise, which dominates Sunday morning television nationally, except on the east coast. The show launched on 1 February 2009 and the original team consisted of Cameron Williams and Leila McKinnon with the news presented by Amber Sherlock and the sport was presented by Tim Gilbert on Saturday and Michael Slater on Sunday.[1][2]

On 2 May 2009, after the launch of Today on Sunday, the Nine Network announced through a surprise edition that Today on Saturday would return. The program incorporates the same presenting team as the Sunday edition, being the first Australian breakfast news program to broadcast seven days a week. Due to the launch of the Saturday version of the program, the Nine Network renamed the programs as Today: Weekend Edition. David Gyngell said the launch of the Weekend editions were a part of the Nine Network's plans to strengthen its news and current affairs department and return viewers to its once leading news service.[3] In July 2009, Today: Weekend Edition was rebranded as Weekend Today.

In September 2012, Weekend Today was extended to 3 hours on Saturday mornings.

In September 2014, Deborah Knight permanently replaced Leila McKinnon as co-host of the show; following McKinnon's move to the News Department.

In February 2016, Cameron Williams announced his resignation from the Nine Network.[4] Peter Stefanovic took over as co-host.[5]

In November 2016, Peter Stefanovic announced that he would be moving to 60 Minutes in 2017 as a reporter.[6] Tom Steinfort has been announced as Stefanovic's replacement.[7]

In December 2017, Knight was appointed as host of Nine News Sydney on Friday and Saturday nights. She replaced Georgie Gardner who replaced Lisa Wilkinson on Today. It was later announced that 60 Minutes reporter Allison Langdon would replace Knight on Weekend Today.[8] Peter Stefanovic also returned as host replacing Tom Steinfort who will become a reporter on 60 Minutes.[9][10]

In December 2018, it was announced that Peter Stefanovic had parted ways with the Nine Network to pursue other opportunities.[11] In January 2019, Today Extra host David Campbell was appointed as Stefanvoic’s replacement. Clint Stanaway also joined the team as a sport presenter and Tim Davies as weather presenter.[12]

In November 2019, it was announced that Langdon will leave the program to co-host Today from January 2020. In December 2019, it was announced that Today Extra host Richard Wilkins will replace Campbell, co-hosting alongside Rebecca Maddern. Jayne Azzopardi will continue to present news and Lauren Phillips will present weather.[13]

Hosts
Presenter Role Tenure
Richard Wilkins Co-host 2020–present
Rebecca Maddern Co-host 2020–present
Jayne Azzopardi News & Sport 2016–present
Lauren Phillips Weather 2020–present

Anchors

The hosts Weekend Today have included:

Hosts of Weekend TodayTenure
Cameron Williams and Leila McKinnon2009–2014
Cameron Williams and Deborah Knight2014–2016
Peter Stefanovic and Deborah Knight2016
Tom Steinfort and Deborah Knight2017
Peter Stefanovic and Allison Langdon2018
David Campbell and Allison Langdon2019
Richard Wilkins and Rebecca Maddern2020–present

Substitute hosts

Fill-in hosts for Weekend Today include Jayne Azzopardi, Tom Steinfort, Lara Vella, Brett McLeod and Belinda Russell.

Substitute presenters in recent years have included Amelia Adams, Wendy Kingston, David Campbell, Dougal Beatty, Tim Gilbert, Sylvia Jeffreys, Alicia Loxley, Davina Smith, Belinda Russell, Ben Fordham, Ken Sutcliffe, Natalia Cooper, Tony Jones, Brenton Ragless, Natalie Gruzlewski, Sarah Harris, Shelley Craft, Clint Stanaway, Ross Greenwood, Chris Urquhart and Jonathan Uptin.

News

News presenters have included:

Lara Vella, Mark Burrows, Belinda Russell, Sarah Stewart and Vanessa O'Hanlon are fill-in news presenters.

Sport

Sport presenters have included:

  • Michael Slater (Sunday: 2009 – 2010)
  • Tim Gilbert (Saturday: 2009 – 2010)
  • Tim Gilbert (2010–September 2014)
  • Nathan Brown (September 2014 – December 2014)
  • Cameron Williams (2015 – 2016)
  • Tom Steinfort (2016 – 2017)
  • Peter Stefanovic (2016; 2018)
  • Clint Stanaway (2019)
  • Jayne Azzopardi (2020 – present)

Weather

In December 2009, Felicity Whelan began presenting the weather on Weekend Today after she was chosen through the weekend weather competition, Whelan also filled in for Steven Jacobs on Today. However, in April 2010, main fill-in weather presenter, Emma Freedman replaced Whelan who joined Network Ten. Due to budget cuts at the Nine Network, Freedman was made redundant in late 2014. In 2015, Natalia Cooper was appointed as weather presenter. In December 2016, Steve Jacobs announced that he would be leaving Today to join Weekend Today as weather presenter. In March 2019, it was announced that Nine News reporter Tim Davies would join the team as weather presenter. In December 2019, Lauren Phillips was announced as Weekend Today weather presenter replacing Tim Davies who was promoted to Today weather presenter.

Weather presenters have included:

Entertainment

In February 2009, Michele Mahone joined Weekend Today as Hollywood Gossip reporter where she reported on the latest entertainment news. She remained with the show until September 2013 due to the show going in 'another direction'. That other direction was Susanne Messara who presented the latest entertainment news from the couch. This idea failed and media personality Giselle Ugarte was appointed entertainment presenter situated again in Hollywood. In 2015, Daily Telegraph columnist Elle Halliwell was appointed entertainment presenter replacing Ugarte. Halliwell along with the entertainment segments were removed shortly after.

Entertainment presenters have included:

  • Michele Mahone (2009 – 2013)
  • Susanne Messara (2013 – 2014)
  • Gisele Ugarte (2014)
  • Elle Halliwell (2015)
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See also

References
  1. Knox, David (4 January 2009). "Today Launching Sunday Edition". TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 January 2009.
  2. Knox, David (28 January 2009). "Weekend Sunrise wakes up to Today's alarm". TV Tonight. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  3. Knox, David (3 May 2009). "Today's Surprise Saturday". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 May 2009.
  4. Knox, David (10 February 2016). "Cameron Williams Exits Nine". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  5. Knox, David (12 February 2016). "Peter Stefanovic for Weekend Today". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  6. Knox, David (19 November 2016). "Peter Stefanovic to Join 60 Minutes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  7. Knox, David (8 December 2016). "Nine News Promotes Team With New Appointments". TV Tonight. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  8. Knox, David (13 December 2017). "Deb Knight Moves To Primetime". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  9. Knox, David (8 January 2018). "Tom Steinfort Joins 60 Minutes". TV Tonight. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  10. Knox, David (10 January 2018). "Allison Langdon & Peter Stefanovic For Weekend Today". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  11. Knox, David (18 December 2018). "Peter Stefanovic Quits Nine". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  12. Knox, David (5 January 2019). "Deb Knight, Tom Steinfort Join Georgie on Today". TV Tonight. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  13. Knox, David (18 December 2019). "Confirmed News, Sport & Weather Faces for Today Show". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
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