‘Absolute disgrace’: Fans furious at new Today show female line-up

Nine’s new look Today breakfast line-up has gone down like a lead balloon with fans taking to social media to slam the network after they revealed the show will be headed with an all-female line-up.

• Deb Knight replaces Karl as Today co-host
• Inside story on what really brought Karl down

Nine’s new look Today breakfast line-up has gone down like a lead balloon with fans taking to social media to slam the network.

Executives have been scrambling behind the scenes to lock in the line-up of Georgie Gardner and Deb Knight as co-hosts and Tom Steinfort as newsreader for the beleaguered morning panel show that has haemorrhaged ratings over the past year.

Karl Stefanovic was ruthlessly dumped from the show last month days after he married partner Jasmine Yarbrough in a lavish Mexico wedding. His brother, Pete, was moved on from Weekend Today, replaced by David Campbell.

There has been a mixed response to Deborah Knight being appointed as Karl Stefanovic’s replacement. Picture: Instagram/@deborah_knight

MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

CRACKS FIRST APPEARED AT SAM BURGESS WEDDING RECEPTION

MIRANDA KERR’S ‘PRESIDENTIAL-STYLE’ SECURITY

CORSER’S TRANSFORMATION FROM DAD BOD TO SIX PACK

“Absolute disgrace,” viewer Cathrine Braley wrote on the Today Facebook page announcement.

“Georgie should be the one that's fired. Channel 9 you’ve ruined a perfect show.”

Donna Osborne wrote: “You have lost Me”, while Lisa Whittaker lamented executives should “bring back Karl” as it “wasn’t boring with him”.

Lauren Spills added: “You dug your own grave. Absolutely zero respect for today execs. Georgie reminds me of Cersei Lannister.”

Fans have also been asking what Nine did with sports reporter Tim Gilbert as the network has failed to address moving him off the show as well.

Sylvia Jeffreys, who was also shafted but is expected to host her own prime time show this year, was also not mentioned in the press release announcing the new line-up.

Nine previously trumpeted Richard Wilkins would be working on both Today and Today Extra alongside new recruit Brooke Boney but he only scored a cursory mention in the release while his younger replacement was front and centre as part of the main crew.

Tom Steinfort replaces Sylvia Jeffreys as the newsreader.

Fans also questioned why sports reader Tim Gilbert was moved on.

“Won’t make much difference as the people on this show always seem to be on holidays every other week,” Trish Webster wrote on the Today facebook page.

“Never seem to have a full team. And pretty sure those decision makers don’t really give two hoots about what the viewers want (wheres Tim???) Good luck with this line-up lol … epic fail.”

NINE’S new look Today breakfast line-up has gone down like a lead balloon with fans taking to social media to slam the network.

While Nine has spun its announcement as a first on Australian breakfast television — two women in the hosting chair — many of the critics online are female.

Confidential couldn’t also help but notice Nine’s press release had Gardner in the centre with Knight and Steinfort behind her. It has previously been reported Gardner was instrumental in Stefanovic’s ousting from the show.

Nine had earlier said Richard Wilkins would remain on the show working alongside his replacement Brooke Boney. But he was barely mentioned in the media release. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“Won’t be watching, can’t stand either of the female hosts,” Cathy Adrian-Goodmanson wrote.

“Deb Knight is soooo boring, GG is miss prig, fence sitter who thinks she’s toooooo good, nope you’ve blown it channel 9 bye bye.”

Karen Farrell also wasn’t happy with the news.

“Says something about a Network when 4 of the best leave one morning show ....... leftist mentality is ruining this show no wonder they all left and if I could block your page from appearing in my news feed I would.”