Paul Henry's breakfast show axed

Paul Henry may be on his way back to New Zealand after having his Australian Breakfast show cancelled.

Controversial broadcaster Paul Henry may be on his way back to New Zealand after having his Australian breakfast show axed by network bosses.

Australian network Ten released a statement saying Breakfast, which is fronted by Henry and journalist Kathryn Robinson, will cease production on November 30.

The show has lagged behind its rivals in the ratings since debuting on Ten in February.

"Breakfast television still represents an opportunity for Ten and we will return to the breakfast TV market at some point next year," the network's statement said.

Henry was reportedly being paid more than $1 million a year to front Breakfast.

He has been tipped to take over from Mark Sainsbury once Close Up is axed at the end of the year, along with his former TVNZ Breakfast co-presenter Pippa Wetzell.

Breakfast has been a very distant third in the early morning slot this year.

The Seven Network's Sunrise has averaged about 365,000 viewers each day in 2012 and the Nine Network's Today has averaged around 330,000.

Meanwhile, Breakfast has an average daily audience of about 40,000.

In October a Ten spokesman said Breakfast would screen in 2013 despite poor ratings.

But on Monday morning the news and breakfast teams were told that the shows would cease at the end of the month.

Replacement shows for 2013 have not been announced.