Studio 10: Angela Bishop, Sarah Harris to host new-look show
Struggling morning show Studio 10 will reportedly be revamped and given a new look and new panel after major cuts saw Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Natarsha Belling leave the network.
Entertainment
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Channel 10’s struggling morning show Studio 10 will switch to a two-person format as part of a revamp after Network cuts, a report has claimed.
The show’s panel of seven will be slashed down to two to rival Channel’s 7 and 9, with host Sarah Harris, entertainment editor Angela Bishop and reporter Narelda Jacobs all expected to remain on the program in some capacity, according to The Australian.
In response to the speculation, a Network 10 spokeswoman said: “Studio 10 will continue to air weekdays from 8.00am to 12.00pm. Sarah Harris and Angela Bishop will remain an integral part of the Studio 10 team. Denise Drysdale, Denise Scott and other regulars will continue as special contributors. Narelda Jacobs will present the news in Studio 10.”
One source told Confidential that the show could be renamed next year.
“Viewer numbers may be low but Studio 10 fans are very loyal,” the insider said.
“The idea is that by keeping Sarah at the helm, and rotating familiar faces through, those viewers will stay with the program. But a name change is necessary to make the point that it is a new direction.”
It’s been speculated that the show could be fronted by Harris and Bishop, with executives also said to be considering regular guest Merrick Watts as a potential co-host.
“I’ve got a feeling they might be going with Ange [Angela Bishop] and Sarah [Harris] as a duo header like they do on other shows and try to have a point of difference with two women rather than the male and female co-hosts,” an insider said.
“I don’t think that’s the answer. What’s missing from Studio 10 is that it was dynamic, it was something where you didn’t know what was going to happen next. It’s very lame and predictable now and it’s not connecting with audiences.”
It comes after sweeping cuts were announced last week, including the axing of presenter Kerri-Anne Kennerley, longtime newsreader Natarsha Belling and veteran weatherman Tim Bailey.
Panellist Joe Hildebrand is still in talks about his future on the show, which first aired in 2013.
It’s understood that various factors including Channel 10’s reported $227 million loss in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic prompted recent cuts, including the axing of news website 10 Daily in May.
In March, ratings plummeted to just 33,000 metro viewers but more recently, the show has seen an improvement averaging around 60,000 viewers for the year so far.