Annette Sharp: How the sun finally set on David Koch’s breakfast TV gig

He knew his days were numbered on Sunrise but the tap, when it came, was breathtakingly swift, coming just hours before David Koch had to front the cameras, writes Annette Sharp.

He knew his days were numbered on Sunrise but the tap, when it came, was breathtakingly swift, coming just hours before David Koch was due to front the breakfast show cameras on Monday morning.

With a trembling voice, Koch looked down the barrel of camera one at Seven’s Martin Place studio, composed a shaking hand that threatened to betray him, and delivered the news only a handful of Seven Network insiders knew was coming.

“I’ve decided to hang up the boots as co-host of Sunrise,” Koch said, his demeanour hinting that some sleep may have been lost the night before as his voice caught.

“After 20 consecutive premierships in the breakfast TV ratings game, I’m frankly finding it harder to get off the ground to take those marks and I think it’s time to bring (in) the next generation.”

It’s not always easy to sell the corporate spin but Koch knew the clock was ticking on his breakfast TV career. He just may not have known more than a day before his announcement that his expiry date would be up so soon.

An emotional David Koch announces his departure from Sunrise as co-host Natalie Barr watched on.

Seven executives are understood to have informed Koch over the weekend prior to his Monday resignation that its Activation Shirvo plan was under way – Shirvo being, of course, Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington.

TV insiders last week maintained Koch had some sense of Seven news bosses’ succession plan regarding him, and a rough sense of the network’s timeline — even if the thrill of signing a new and lucrative two-year contract just seven months ago may have somehow obscured the reality.

Koch said he was looking forward to spending more time with wife Libby. Picture: Emma Brasier

Seven chairman Kerry Stokes is a big fan of Koch. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

After 21 years at the helm of Sunrise, 67-year-old Koch had grown comfortable on the Brekky Central lounge and might have secretly hoped his tenure would be further extended, but according to well-placed sources it was never going to happen.

“He signed a contract knowing it included a clause that stated he would depart the Sunrise chair by ‘no later than June’, so he knew his time was coming to an end,” an insider told this column.

A Seven insider said the writing had been on the wall for Koch since March last year, when former Sunrise EP Michael Pell left the chair as the program’s executive producer.

Pell had long been one of Koch’s greatest advocates, although some Seven insiders maintain Pell was primarily an advocate for himself and his support of Koch came down to two things – the fact that TV audiences have always liked the man once dubbed TV’s daggiest uncle, and that Seven chairman Kerry Stokes loves Koch.

Port Adelaide Chairman Koch (right), with CEO Matthew Richardson, is also hoping to devote more time to his beloved footy. Picture: Morgan Sette

Like Stokes, former business reporter Koch is a staunch fan of the AFL and interested in the world of high finance.

At social events such as Seven’s annual Perth Telethon, Seven’s Upfronts and routine AFL meetings, the billionaire could generally find solace in Koch’s company in a room full of dizzy celebrities and stressed out and fawning executives.

Stokes’ affection for Koch is said to have kept him safe on Sunrise for years longer than some Seven executives believed wise in a lucrative, cutthroat and ever-changing world of breakfast television, a genre that for the past two decades has morphed away from serious news broadcasting and into a blur of infomercials.

Seven’s news boss Craig McPherson has long been agitating for change at the Sunrise helm, say Seven sources, and believes the time is now right, with Sunrise poised to move from the CBD to Seven’s expansive studio operations south at Eveleigh.

Barr and Matt Shirvington, who stood in for Koch, on Sunrise. Shirvington is widely tipped to fill Koch’s spot permanently. Picture: Supplied

The joint installation of McPherson favourite, former The Morning Show executive producer Sarah Stinson in the newly created role as director of breakfast television, and new Sunrise EP Sean Power in Pell’s stead, finally lit the long fuse on Koch’s Sunrise departure 14 months ago.

McPherson and Seven chief executive James Warburton have good reason to believe now is the right time to strike, and move the likeable younger Shirvington into Koch’s seat.

For starters, the program has a solid ratings lead over traditional rival Today, which has continued its ratings slide.

Generally Sunrise has 34,000 more viewers (five capital cities, all people) than has Today — and sometimes that margin can be as great as 50k.

It’s the sort of audience buffer a network needs when transitioning a new host in.

Also, Nine continues to make the claim Today is dominant on the nation’s East Coast.

That claim is based on Today’s strong figures in Brisbane, not Sydney and Melbourne (Sunrise has long been dominant on the West Coast).

During Shirvington’s recent trial in Kochie’s chair on Fridays, Sunrise has managed to demonstrably close the gap on Today in Brisbane.

This, and his high national profile — if not his news background — has given Shirvington the edge over a field of eager contenders, including news presenter Michael Usher, Mark Beretta, Matt Doran and even Nine’s Karl Stefanovic, who, according to Seven insiders, as recently as last year may have expressed an interest, via agents, in jumping ship to Seven.

The long tail on Koch’s contract ensures he will be around for a while on Seven, with network executives eager to feature him on Sunrise as a resident finance boffin — and possibly pitch a spin on Dancing With The Stars later this year.