Jack Tame and Hilary Barry are rumoured to be teaming up to take on presenting duties for TVNZ's Breakfast.
Jack Tame and Hilary Barry are rumoured to be teaming up to take on presenting duties for TVNZ's Breakfast.
There's been no formal announcement but the public is already backing the idea of Hilary Barry and Jack Tame teaming up on TVNZ's Breakfast couch.
Barry, who recently quit TV3 after 23 years at the network, and Tame, One News' US correspondent, are rumoured to replace current Breakfast hosts RawdonChristie and Nadine Chalmers-Ross.
Current Breakfast hosts Rawdon Christie and Nadine Chalmers-Ross. Photo/Norrie Montgomery
But viewers seem supportive of the news, taking to Facebook to applaud the idea of the possible new hosts.
"Wow, I'd switch over to Hilary and Jack Tame," wrote one fan.
"He's a very good journalist starting at the bottom and working his way up the company ladder doing anything he was posted to do. Hilary is just Hilary #Perfect."
Another said: "Their ratings will definitely go up if they put Hilary on - she is awesome."
— Andrew Paul Wood🤔😒 (@AndrewPaulWood) July 6, 2016
Some were less enamoured of the idea and wanted the current duo of Christie and Chalmers-Ross to stay.
"No way! Keep Rawdon, Nadine Chalmers-Ross and Ali ... Hilary left so why should she think she can come host TV One's Breakfast show?" said one irked viewer.
"Nadine Chalmers-Ross is brilliant," said another.
One commentator didn't mind who hosted Breakfast as long as Breakfast's weatherman Sam Wallace stayed put.
"They're keeping the hot weather guy though ay?" they said.
Rawdon Christie and Alison Pugh. Pugh is due to return from maternity leave.
Paul Henry is currently on holiday, with his position being filled by former TVNZ presenters Mark Sainsbury and Alison Mau.
This year has seen TVNZ's morning viewership decline significantly in the key commercial demographic of 25-54 against Paul Henry. At the same time, Paul Henry's viewership has seen strong growth.
A NZ Herald poll of 630 people found overwhelming support for a Tame-Barry partnership.
The poll, which asked: "Who would you like to see hosting Breakfast?" - had a 67 per cent approval rating for Barry and Tame, compared to 12 per cent for Christie and Chalmers-Ross.
Christie and Alison Pugh, who is currently on maternity leave, had just 9 per cent - less than the poll's "someone else" option at 11 per cent.
