Launch of ‘new look’ Today show was a bit of a mess and viewers aren’t impressed

Same, same, but different. Despite all the fuss and turmoil behind the scenes it really was more of the same when the “new look” Today show launched this morning. Fans weren’t happy and have called on Nine to bring back Karl Stefanovic.

• Stefanovic likely to be dropped from Nine by Easter
• ‘Boring’: New-look Today’s awkward debut

Same, same, but different.

Despite all the fuss and turmoil behind the scenes it really was more of the same when the “new look” Today show launched this morning.

Deb Knight and Georgie Gardner helmed the hosting panel flanked by new news reader Tom Steinfort, entertainment reporter Brooke Boney and sports reporter Tony Jones.

It was no surprise that Gardner took the lead at 5.30am introducing viewers to the brand new panel with several of them prefacing any stuff ups with “first day of school” nerves.

Georgie Gardner took the lead this morning, introducing the new Today team.

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It was awkward mix of personalities with entire line-up over compensating for recent woes, desperately attempting to win audiences over and shun the disastrous ratings that have plagued the show.

And despite being boned for the relatively unknown, former Triple J newsreader Boney, a puffy-faced Richard Wilkins made a bizarre appearance just after eight o’clock in an awkward interview with actor Luke Bracey.

Radio trained Boney was clearly still finding her TV feet, strangely looking around as if no one had told her which camera to look at. But it seems she’s trying hard to forge a good relationship with the show’s producers, reposting their content on her Instagram page.

Some fans labelled the breakfast show “boring” and are calling for Nine to bring back Karl Stefanovic. Picture: Today

Knight seemed to yell into her microphone rather than speak, which after her many years on air seemed odd, while Gardner — who is believed to be behind the recent sacking of Karl Stefanovic and his brother Pete — was smug throughout the morning.

And while Nine has been bragging about its highly anticipated new look breakfast show for weeks, it was only the onscreen graphics that looked as if they’d been updated. The show followed it’s same, carbon copy format of news, sport, weather, soft prerecorded package, live interview and repeat.

It seems viewers aren’t fans of the new line-up either with many taking to the Today show Facebook page to comment.

One person wrote: “Sorry to say but the “New Today” program with its new blend of hosts honestly is as boring as watching the paint dry.”

Another said: “Have been watching Today show forever. Sorry no more — off to Seven — Sunrise. Political correctness is crap.”

They were live from the Australian Open. Picture: Alex Coppel

And there were also calls to bring back Karl, with one viewer commenting: “Watched Today for over ten years, not any more. Bring back Karl. He could be silly, childish, even quite annoying sometimes but he made it fun … so boring without him.”

Another said she had switched to Sunrise because “The Today show just isn’t the same without Karl and the Today show family.”

All in all, the new Today debut was a far-cry from what the show’s newly appointed executive producer Steve Burling smugly promised including “unique stories” and “fun personalities”.

Originally published as Launch of ‘new look’ Today show was a bit of a mess and viewers aren’t impressed