Nine’s Georgie Gardner renews contract at a reduced salary, insiders claim

She lost her Today hosting gig and has been reading the news two nights a week. Now it is understood Nine’s Georgie Gardner also took a pay cut when renewing her contract.

Channel Nine’s Georgie Gardner. Picture: AAP/Bianca De Marchi

She fought but ultimately lost the Today hosting wars and since then she has been reading the Friday and Saturday evening news in Sydney.

But Sunday Confidential hears Georgie Gardner has nevertheless managed to renegotiate a new contract at Nine — albeit believed to be on a reduced salary.

Spies around Nine’s swish new North Sydney studios say Gardner — with a lawyer in tow — sat down with director of television Michael Healy recently to thrash out a new deal and even lobbied for an increase on her rumoured in the neighbourhood of $800,000 annual salary.

However, it’s understood Healy issued a “take-it-or-leave-it” package that one insider claimed was for a new figure of around $300,000 — a massive decrease per year.

It’s believed Gardner ultimately agreed to the reduced salary, which was attributed by Healy to her reduction in on-air duties.

It’s understood she will remain on as host of her two weekly news bulletins as well as occasional fill-in spells for Peter Overton.

A spokeswoman for Nine said: “Georgie renewed her contract last year and everyone at Nine is extremely proud to have her as an important member of the Nine News team. Her deal with Nine is on mutually agreeable terms that both are extremely happy with.”