Who will replace Lisa Wilkinson as Today co-host?

AS THE media world reels from Lisa Wilkinson’s shock decision to quit Today, speculation has focused on the high-profile women jostling to replace her.

Lisa Wilkinson has walked out on the Today show after 10 years. Picture: Stephen Cooper

TODAY show newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys has emerged as one of the frontrunners to join her brother-in-law Karl Stefanovic as co-host after Lisa Wilkinson’s shock decision to quit the breakfast program.

Channel 9 has not announced who will replace Wilkinson but the network said in a statement it would be “going in another direction and will be considering our options in the coming weeks and months”.

On the show this morning, Jeffreys was in her regular chair as newsreader with Deb Knight filling in for Wilkinson as co-host beside Stefanovic.

📺 Shoe in

Deborah Knight was suddenly sacked by the very network Lisa Wilkinson is now joining...

Will Deb be the new #9Today co-host? pic.twitter.com/ESYRES0O1o

— Mr TV 🇦🇺 (@MrTVAus) October 16, 2017

Veteran entertainment writer Peter Ford named two other well-known media women on the Kyle and Jackie O Show this morning, suggesting both former Seven presenter Chris Bath and Nine’s own Georgie Gardner could be in the running to take Wilkinson’s place. Rebecca Maddern, riding high as the co-host of Nine’s runaway hit Ninja Warrior, is another possible contender.

Add to the list Seven rival Samantha Armytage, currently sharing hosting duties with David Koch on Sunrise each morning. Could she be tempted to cross over to Nine?

Today show viewers and media watchers on Twitter seem to favour promoting Jeffreys, 31, who married Stefanovic’s younger brother Pete earlier this year.

My tip: Sylvia to co- host & either Lara Vella or Deb Knight to news. Although frankly 9 need Deb at W/end Today. Lara is the best option.

— Jake Thompson (@JMThompson95) October 16, 2017

#newtodayhost right here in @albericie? (TBH, I think @SylviaJeffreys has this in the bag)

— Spencer Howson 🍷🐈 (@SpencerHowson) October 16, 2017

Does this mean @SylviaJeffreys is primary host? Hay gurl. 🙌🏼

— it me. (@ItMeAmyMc) October 16, 2017

@SylviaJeffreys to the big chair tokeepn the bro in law in check and @juliesnook for the news. There you go @Channel9 ✅ Job done

— Phil-I-Am (@philkef) October 16, 2017

Well @Lisa_Wilkinson will be replace by @SylviaJeffreys you watch it’s been coming for months @TheTodayShow had it plan young and fresh boo

— Dinkidie aka Dianna (@dinkidie) October 16, 2017

I completely agree, of course!

It'll be interesting to see who becomes Karl's co-presenter now. I'm personally predicting Sylvia Jeffreys!

— SydneyCityTV (@SydneyCityTV) October 16, 2017

Woman most likely … Sylvia Jeffreys. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Jeffreys has been Today’s newsreader since Gardner moved on from the program in 2014. Jeffreys has also been the primary stand-in host whenever Wilkinson has been absent.

The bubbly blonde cut her teeth in Nine’s Brisbane newsroom, having scored her first gig with the network aged 19 while still at university.

She told the podcast You’ve Gotta Start Somewhere that she decided to become a journalist in high school, inspired in part by TV news reporter April in the cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Karl Stefanovic, Lisa Wilkinson, Sylvia Jeffreys and Peter Stefanovic celebrate Wilkinson’s 10-year anniversary with the Today show. Picture: Stephen Cooper

Her first job at Nine was as a “bottom-of-the-barrel gofer”, she told the podcast, but her give-it-a-go attitude meant she quickly rose through the ranks to secure a full-time paid role.

She was a reporter for Queensland current affairs program Extra and later with Nine News in Brisbane, where she distinguished herself while reporting on the devastating Queensland floods of 2010 and 2011.

She joined the Today show in 2012 as the NSW reporter, and became a regular face as a fill-in host on Today, Weekend Today and various Nine News bulletins.

The wedding of Peter Stefanovic and Sylvia Jeffreys. Source: Instagram

She admitted to You’ve Gotta Start Somewhere that the transition was “difficult” when she joined Today full time as newsreader.

“I dealt with it by phoning my mum on a regular basis in the first six months. It was tricky. Nothing can really prepare you for it,” she said.

“You go from being a journalist on the road sitting in gutters and crime scenes covering stories and being out and about every day and being on air for a minute and a half potentially during a 6 o’clock bulletin to being on air three and a half hours … Adjusting to that new level of attention was a challenge.”

Jeffreys has also had increased scrutiny due to her relationship with Nine journalist Pete Stefanovic, whose relationship blossomed why they were both hosting Weekend Today in 2013.

“We went from being nobodies to having photographers follow us around the place, which is pretty bizarre,” Jeffreys said.

And while she loathes the 3.20am alarm clock that comes with breakfast television, she feels fortunate to have her gig on Today delivering information to the viewers and sharing her personality.

“With the Today show in particular, you are yourself for three and a half hours on air. There is no hiding who you really are and if you try to you get found out very quickly, courtesy of one Karl Stefanovic, essentially.”

Wilkinson shocked the media world on Monday when she announced she was leaving Today — effective immediately. She will join The Project and The Sunday Project on Channel 10 in a hosting role.