Weekend Today (Australian TV program)

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Weekend Today
Also known as Today on Saturday
Today on Sunday
Today: Weekend Edition
Genre Breakfast News Program
Presented by Peter Stefanovic
Deborah Knight
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 6
No. of episodes 526 (as of 27 April 2014)
Production
Executive producer(s) Mark Calvert
Production location(s) Willoughby, New South Wales
Running time 180 minutes
Release
Original network Nine Network
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Audio format Stereo
Original release 1 February 2009 –
present
Chronology
Preceded by Sunday
Sunday Morning News
Related shows Today
External links
Website

Weekend Today is an Australian breakfast television program, currently hosted by Peter Stefanovic and Deborah Knight.

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 Saturdays and Sundays.

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.[1] 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.

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 service. In July 2009, Today: Weekend Edition was rebranded as Weekend Today.

On 28 July 2012, Weekend Today stopped airing for London 2012 Olympic Games until 13 August 2012.

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 Leila McKinnon's move to the News Department.

In February 2016, Cameron Williams announced his resignation from the Nine Network. Peter Stefanvoic has since taken over as co-host.

As of 2016, Peter Stefanovic and Deborah Knight remain as co-hosts with the news presented by Wendy Kingston, sport is presented by Peter Stefanovic and weather presented by Natalia Cooper.

Hosts

Presenter Role Tenure
Peter Stefanovic Co-host 2016–present
Deborah Knight Co-host 2014–present
Natalia Cooper Weather 2015–present

Substitute hosts

Fill-in hosts for Weekend Today include Wendy Kingston, Natalia Cooper, David Campbell and Steve Jacobs.

Substitute presenters in recent years have included Tim Gilbert, Sylvia Jeffreys, Alicia Loxley, Richard Wilkins, Ben Fordham, Ken Sutcliffe, Tony Jones, Natalie Gruzlewski, Sarah Harris, Shelley Craft and Allison Langdon.

News

News presenters have included:

In 2009 when Weekend Today was announced, Amber Sherlock was appointed the first news presenter. In 2010, Sherlock welcomed her first child into the world with her waters breaking on the set of Today. Alicia Gorey was announced as Sherlock maternity relief however Sherlock returned too early resulting in her moved off Today to reading the weather on Nine News Sydney. Years passed and coincidentally at the same time Jo Hall decided to step down as weekend news reader on Nine News Melbourne, Deborah Knight was made redundant from Network Ten and contracted to Nine. Gorey was appointed Hall's replacement whilst Knight set her alarm earlier to join Today. In 2014, Leila McKinnon had her second child to Gygnell. Knight and Sylvia Jeffreys were announced as 'fresh faces' according to The Australian. But not long after Georgie Gardner announced she was quitting Today, Jeffreys was quickly shifted as Gardner's replacement resulting in Wendy Kingston to return from maternity leave to read the news on Weekend Today.

Wendy Kingston announced her third pregnancy in June 2015 and went on maternity leave from November 2015. Peter Stefanovic filled in the role for a few weeks in November, December and January (filled in for as co-host over that time period as well). Peter replaced host Cameron Williams in February 2016, and many newsreaders including Jayne Azzopardi, Sophie Walsh and Natalia Cooper filled in until Jayne Azzopardi become the newsreader from May 2016.

Sport

Sport presenters have included:

Erin Molan, Yvonne Sampson, Nathan Brown and Clint Stanaway are fill in sports presenters.

Weather

In December 2009, Felicity Whealan began presenting the weather on Weekend Today after she was chosen through the weekend weather competition, Whealan 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, Emma Freedman was made redundant in late 2014. In 2015 Natalia Cooper became the new Weather presenter replacing Freedman.

Notable weather presenters have included:

Abby Coleman, Amelia Adams and Deborah Knight are fill in weather presenters

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'.

Notable entertainment presenters have included:

  • Michele Mahone (2009–13)
  • Susanne Messara (2013–14)
  • Gisele Ugarte (2014)
  • Elle Halliwell (2015–present)

See also

References

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External links

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