Popular Former weatherman Jim Hickey is tipped to return to TV One's news programme.
Speculation on a new weather presenter has been rife since Brendan Horan accepted redundancy two weeks ago, after being with TVNZ since 2005.
Though TVNZ refuses to confirm any new appointment, sources say it
has been in talks with Hickey, who now lives in New Plymouth.
Hickey enjoyed immense popularity fronting the weather slot throughout the 1990s, and worked on other shows including Town and Country and A Flying Visit.
The Herald on Sunday understands Hickey last week told staff at the New Plymouth airport cafe he owns, Airspresso, that he would soon be back as the weather presenter.
However, when the Herald on Sunday called, Hickey denied he was returning to the slot, saying he only had one contract with TVNZ - presenting occasional segments on the Good Morning show.
"There's a lot of speculation around, since Brendan's gone, and no one knows what's going on, but I can't help you because I honestly don't know," Hickey said. "Nothing's going on at all."
A spokeswoman for TVNZ would not confirm or deny that Hickey was returning.
"I certainly haven't been briefed that there have been any developments there yet."
She said Prime's United Travel Getaway presenter, Renee Wright, and former Fair Go reporter Natalie Crook would fill in following Horan's departure, while Karen Olsen would continue in her current weather-presenter role.
"But it's an interesting rumour... As far as we know it's very much a 'watch this space' area."
The channel "didn't have anything to announce in terms of the weather at the moment," the spokeswoman said.
