Who is Today’s new showbiz reporter Brooke Boney?

Richard Wilkins appears to be the latest casualty in the brutal Today show clear-out, and his replacement couldn’t be more different.

Triple J newsreader Brooke Boney is joining Today as part of a major shake-up for the troubled Channel 9 breakfast show.

Boney will join Today in 2019 replacing entertainment editor Richard Wilkins, who will have a bigger presence on sister show Today Extra, although will still play a role on Today, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

“I’m really thrilled to be joining the team and so excited to be working alongside Richard Wilkins,” Boney said in a statement to 9Honey.

Brooke Boney is Today's new entertainment reporter

“He’s such a legend in the business. It’s such an exciting time to be joining Nine and I am looking forward to learning from everyone on the Today team.

“As a young girl growing up in the country I watched Today so it’s really awesome to know it’ll be my new home.”

Boney is a surprise pick for the commercial network, with Nine news director Darren Wicks saying they had decided to look outside the TV world for Wilkins’ Today replacement.

The journalist and proud Gamilaroi Gomeroi woman began her career while still at university, working at SBS and NITV where she was appointed the station’s political correspondent.

She will replace Wilkins on Today, with the entertainment editor to have a bigger role on morning show Today Extra instead.

Boney’s appointment is part of a massive shake-up at Today

Boney recently wrapped a two-year stint as Triple J’s breakfast morning newsreader, where she memorably started every broadcast with “Yaama” which is “hello” in Gamilaroi.

Her time at Triple J means she is no stranger to early starts, with Boney telling Future Women she manages her 4am alarm by drinking bone broth, doing breathing exercises when she wakes up and taking a 17 minute nap in the afternoon.

“The only way I can get through it is if I look after myself by not drinking too much, getting enough sleep and managing stress, because if something gets thrown out I notice it straight away,” she said.

“I credit the reason I can push so hard and work so many jobs to doing heaps of yoga every day and eating really well.”

Boney told Who magazine her journey to journalism wasn’t easy and she dropped out of school in year 12, but it helped instil a fierce work ethic in her.

“I think it’s important to be upfront about that. I dropped out in Year 12. I had a really sh**ty time at high school and the drop-out rate for indigenous kids is high,” she said.

“I really didn’t want to be a victim of the situation I was born into. We were quite poor – I grew up in housing commissions.

“Seeing how much my mum had to struggle with six kids on her own, I wanted to work really hard to make sure I wasn’t poor ever again.”

Boney said she was proud to be one of the few indigenous faces in radio and believed the industry needed to be more diverse.

“When I was growing up there weren’t many Aboriginal people on TV or radio and I think it’s really important that our media reflects the country we are and there’s so many different nationalities that make up Australia. It only makes us stronger and better when we include everyone,” she said.

Boney’s appointment comes after host Karl Stefanovic was axed this week, while brother Peter Stefanovic also chose to leave Weekend Today and the network altogether to “explore other opportunities”.

“Nine and Karl Stefanovic have agreed it is time for him to step off the Today show,” a statement from Wick read.

“Karl remains on contract with the network and will continue to host (his other show) This Time Next Year.”

The once popular host’s axing comes just two weeks after the pair’s lavish Mexico ceremony, which was reportedly “the final straw” in Nine bosses’ decision to let Stefanovic go.