RNZ confirms Guyon Espiner to host Midday Report from January 2026

Guyon Espiner will return to present a regular slot on RNZ National in 2026. Photo / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Radio New Zealand has announced broadcaster Guyon Espiner will return to present a regular show on RNZ National in 2026.

The veteran journalist will front Midday Report when it returns on January 26, following summer programming.

The show is RNZ National’s weekday current affairs programme, delivering news, business, rural and sports updates Monday through Friday from midday -1pm.

Espiner said he’s looking forward to returning to live broadcasting.

“Being an election year, 2026 will be an important year for New Zealanders. I can’t wait to get back into the studio and ask the questions we all have about the main stories of the day.”

The veteran journalist transitioned to radio in 2014, presenting RNZ National’s Morning Report for five years alongside Susie Ferguson. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Espiner, 54, has been a journalist for 30 years. He has worked widely across print, television and radio mediums, including 14 years covering politics from the press gallery in Wellington.

Espiner was appointed TVNZ’s political editor in 2006, before moving to join the reporting team of TV3‘s current affairs programme 60 Minutes in 2011.

The veteran journalist transitioned to radio in 2014, presenting RNZ National’s Morning Report for five years alongside Susie Ferguson.

He left radio hosting duties in 2019 to focus on investigative journalism as part of RNZ’s In Depth team.

In May this year, taxpayer funding for RNZ was cut by close to $5 million a year. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

Espiner has produced several podcasts for RNZ, including Context, a political history show co-hosted with Corin Dann. He also presents multi-media show 30 with Guyon Espiner, which is due to launch its fourth series this week.

Espiner replaces Charlotte Cook, who is moving into a role of field correspondent.

RNZ’s chief audio officer Pip Keane said the appointment of a journalist of Espiner’s calibre to the show signalled how seriously the station was taking the midday hour.

“We will be making sure this hour is even more relevant to our audiences in 2026, led by Guyon’s presenting experience and superior interviewing skills, and making good use of all of RNZ’s reporting strength.”

In October, RNZ announced Morning Report’s Corin Dann would move to become the station’s new business editor. Dann joined the flagship news programme in 2019, co-presenting the broadcaster alongside Ingrid Hipkiss.

In May this year, taxpayer funding for RNZ was cut by close to $5 million a year, with the Government signalling it wanted to see improved audience reach, trust and transparency from the station.

In a Budget 2025 press statement, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith said, “This savings initiative recognises that Government-funded media must deliver the same efficiency and value for money as the rest of the public sector.

“I expect RNZ to improve audience reach, trust and transparency. I am confident the organisation can do so while operating in a period of tightened fiscal constraint.”