With Sarah Abo preparing to begin maternity leave in the coming weeks, attention is turning to who will temporarily join Karl Stefanovic on the Today desk.
While no official announcement has been made, industry insiders believe one familiar face has moved into pole position.
Jayne Azzopardi tipped as frontrunner
According to sources within Nine, longtime newsreader Jayne Azzopardi has become the leading candidate to step into Sarah Abo’s role while the popular presenter is away on maternity leave.
Executives reportedly see Azzopardi as the closest fit for the position, believing she can provide continuity for viewers and maintain the chemistry already established within the breakfast television team.
Sarah is expected to begin her maternity leave sometime next month as she prepares to welcome her first child.
Why Sylvia Jeffreys may miss out
Although Today Extra co-host Sylvia Jeffreys has frequently been mentioned as a possible replacement, insiders suggest Nine executives are approaching that option cautiously.
Jeffreys is married into the Stefanovic family, with Karl serving as her brother-in-law, and network bosses are reportedly mindful of avoiding an on-air partnership that could place too much focus on those family ties.
Despite the pair enjoying a strong personal relationship, decision-makers are said to believe maintaining separate professional identities remains the better long-term strategy.
Budget and experience also play a role
Financial considerations are also believed to be influencing the decision.
Sources claim Azzopardi’s salary makes her a more practical choice, while her years of experience across Nine’s breakfast television coverage mean she could transition into the co-host role with minimal disruption.
Having worked across multiple roles within the network since joining Nine, Azzopardi is regarded as one of the broadcaster’s most dependable and versatile presenters.
Samantha Armytage unlikely to take the role
Another name linked to the vacancy has been Samantha Armytage, but insiders suggest any appearance on Today would likely be brief.
Rather than serving as Sarah Abo’s maternity replacement, Armytage is reportedly expected to make occasional guest appearances, potentially linked to promotional duties for the upcoming second season of The Golden Bachelor.
Industry sources also point to both her higher salary package and the mixed performance of some recent Nine projects as reasons she is unlikely to be handed the role on a long-term temporary basis.
Nine under growing pressure
The speculation comes during a challenging period for the network.
Following softer ratings across its news programming and a disappointing audience response to its newest entertainment series Shark!, executives are said to be increasingly focused on strengthening the performance of flagship shows such as Today.
For now, however, Nine has remained tight-lipped.
When approached for comment, a network spokesperson declined to discuss any plans regarding Sarah Abo’s maternity leave or who may replace her.
