Everything we know about Karl’s new host, and how she plans to lift ratings

Allison Langdon will be the eighth woman paired with Karl Stefanovic in 14 years, here’s how she could save the show.

Channel Nine gave it a red hot go.

After a year riddled with dismal ratings, tense segments and one very uncomfortable farewell, the Today’s sans-Karl Stefanovic 2019 shake-up proved a failure.

But the line-up for 2020 holds promise – and it’s not just due to Stefanovic’s impending return.

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As anyone who’s ever so much as watched a morning program will tell you, the key ingredient to a successful reception is chemistry. The perfect co-hosting dynamic is impossible to formulate – hence the revolving door of hosts Today has seen over the years.

Last week, it was announced Allison Langdon would be the next to join Nine’s former Golden Boy Stefanovic as he returns to the program – a phoenix rising from the ashes ousting Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner from the desk along the way.

But put aside the buzz surrounding Stefavonic’s big comeback, it looks set to be Langdon, 40, who will swoop in and save the day.

So who is Allison Langdon, and how will she inject much-needed life into the flailing program?

Allison Langdon has been on 60 Minutes for nearly a decade. Picture: Channel 9.

Steven Burling, director of morning television for the Nine Network, described the experienced reporter as “without doubt one of the sharpest, warmest and funniest journalists in the country.”

“Having worked at Nine for nearly 20 years (across the entire news and current affairs division) Ally is perfectly placed to bring that wit and experience to Australia’s longest running breakfast program, Today,” he told news.com.au.

“She is as formidable as she is genuine – she is relatable, what you see is exactly what you get with Ally.”

A familiar face to Nine viewers as the host of Weekend Today with almost a decade on 60 Minutes behind her – Langdon has been with the network since completing her journalism degree at Charles Sturt University.

Starting as a producer for now-axed Nightline in 2001, she’s been loyal to the network since, working as a reporter for the National Nine News until she was appointed the news presenter on Today in 2007, filling-in for Georgie Gardner while she was on maternity leave.

In 2008 Langdon became the Friday presenter of Nightline, staying in the role until the axing of the program.

Allison Langdon has already attracted praise from viewers on Weekend Today. Picture: Britta Campion / The Australian.

This was the same year she released her first book; The Child Who Never Was: Looking for Tegan Lane, examining the murder of newborn infant Tegan Lane by her mother Keli Lane.

Her 60 Minutes stint began in 2011, and in December 2017, she was appointed co-host of Weekend Today, replacing Deborah Knight and joined by Peter Stefanovic, who was dropped for David Campbell at the same time as Karl.

Langdon – one of the very few to survive last December’s epic Today overhaul (which Peter likened to GoT’s infamous “Red Wedding”) – is only on the up.

Could Langdon and Karl be the answer to Today’s plummeting ratings? Picture: Channel 9.

When she joins the Today hosting desk in 2020, Langdon will be Stefanovic’s eighth co-host in 14 years, his most successful pairing being his 10 years with Lisa Wilkinson from 2007 – 2017.

It was the duo that struck morning television gold.

Wilkinson could dish out what Stefanovic served with ease, and despite the ugly pay disparity dispute surrounding her defection to Ten – there was always a sense of warmth and fun exuding from the panel each morning.

So how does Langdon plan to lift the plummeting ratings that have plagued the show since late 2018?

By taking a leaf out of Wilkinson’s book, it seems.

She vows to keep the show “fun” by “winding up” her notoriously cheeky co-host as the network’s statement announcing her appointment read last week.

“There is a lot of hard work ahead but I can tell you one thing, it’s not going to be boring! I love the unpredictability of live TV … and Karl,” Langdon said last week.

“Wind him up and let him go! I’m sure we’ll butt heads, but we’ll do it with a smile on our face!

“I just want to help our viewers get their day off to a good, fun start,” she added.

It’s a big call, but with Langdon having recently received an avalanche of praise from audiences while filling in on Today for Deborah Knight last month, it might just work.

“Great presenter line-up on the show this morning, never laughed so much,” one viewer wrote on Facebook following Langdon’s appearance.

Another added: “What a breath of fresh air [Allison] is to the Today show. It would be nice to have her all the time. Much better than Deb.”

“Loving the dynamic of the crew on the Today show this morning,” wrote a third.

A mother of two, Langdon seems ready to welcome the challenge of juggling Today’s notoriously gruelling schedule with raising a young family.

Before the Today announcement last weekend, Langdon revealed to Stellar that she was loving the balance she had working on 60 Minutes and co-presenting Weekend Today while raising her kids.

Langdon is married to fellow journalist Michael Willesee Jr, son of the late media legend Mike Willesee, who died earlier this year.

Langdon and Willesee Jr, who is the head of media for the Westpac Group, were engaged in 2007 and wed in 2008.

They have two children, son Mack, two, and daughter Scout Heather, who was born in January this year.

“I feel like I’ve got this great career balance happening right now – the best of both worlds,” she said.

Proving further she’s ready to rise to the challenge of Today, she later added of her journalism career; “Give me a bucket list and I’ve ticked everything off. I could fill a book of moments that stick with you – moments where it could be just meeting human beings and you go, ‘Oh my goodness, you just restored my faith in humankind,’ all the way to, ‘I’m looking into the eyes of evil right now…’”

Langdon – a woman full of moxie – told the publication the support provided by Nine during both her pregnancies was “terrific”, but said she was aware it wasn’t always that way.

“Now nearly all of the female news presenters and reporters are mothers,” she said.

“And you know what?,” she added.

“No-one works harder than a working mum.”

Not only does Langdon possess the impressive background, viewers’ tick of approval, and undeniably strong work ethic to take on the role, she’s already perfected on-air banter with one Stefanovic, having presented Weekend Today with Karl’s brother Peter for most of 2018.

Judging by her Instagram posts with Peter of the cheeky family, it’s looking likely she’ll find working with larrikin Karl a breeze.

“When Peter Stefanovic thinks he’s funny,” she posted playfully rolling her eyes at him in January last year.

“Ummm I thought you said he was funny @sylviajeffreys,” she captioned another photo that same month, tagging Peter’s wife.

We like the sound of her already.

Langdon will tackle Today from January next year.