Today weather presenter Natalia Cooper moved from role while on maternity leave

In yet another blow to the Today show team, weather presenter Natalia Cooper has been moved on from her role just weeks after starting maternity leave.

In yet another blow to the Today show team, weather presenter Natalia Cooper has been moved on from her role just weeks after starting maternity leave.

While Channel 9 said the move was her decision, Confidential’s sources close to the troubled show said Cooper was pushed.

Today’s former weather presenter Natalia Cooper. Picture: Justin Lloyd

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Stevie Jacobs has returned to the new-look program to replace Cooper.

An insider told Confidential: “When Natalia left she very much wanted to come back to the role. Her little son Ezra, is just one-week-old, she was so set on returning to the show when she left, it seems unusual that she would have changed her mind just days into motherhood.”

“This was another change in the new-look show. With three women already on the panel, another male was needed.”

A Nine spokesman confirmed Cooper would not be returning to her role when she comes back from maternity leave.

“Natalia is going back into news at her request because weather on Today doesn’t work with a new baby but news has a different level of flexibility for working mums,” the spokesman said.

The amount of travel involved with the role was said to be a reason for the job change, yet Jacobs has been working out of Nine’s studios for the past two weeks.

Stevie Jacobs is taking on the weather role to provide a male presence on set. Picture: Tim Hunter

Confidential reached out to Cooper through her management but they would not ­comment.

One of Sydney’s top employment lawyers said the situation could be messy.

“Contacting a woman who has just started maternity leave about a role-change raises many questions,” the lawyer said.

“While their contract may state role changes can be made at the employer’s discretion, if the employee is on maternity leave, they would need to agree to such a change.”

Cooper’s departure comes as Today has recorded disappointing audience numbers with its new-look team.

Originally published as Today weather presenter Natalia Cooper moved from role while on maternity leave