The broadcaster, and networks in general, typically don\u2019t advertise for core presenting roles, given the very particular skill set required, and because there is usually a succession plan in place. <\/p>\n
However, the likes of RNZ do advertise similar roles externally, including Corin Dann\u2019s seat as Morning Report co-host, which was also recently seen on Seek. <\/p>\n
Do you have the skillset to fill Jenny-May Clarkson’s shoes? Photo \/ TVNZ<\/p>\n
Much like Liam Neeson\u2019s character in the movie Taken, the new Breakfast host needs to have a very particular set of skills. Skills they have acquired over a very long career. \u201cSkills that make me a nightmare for people like you.\u201d <\/p>\n
Skills that one might assume TVNZ know only a select few have. So is the Seek advert a mere formality?<\/p>\n
TVNZ confirmed to the Herald it had begun the formal recruiting process for a Breakfast presenter to join the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cPresenter roles are unique, and the opportunity to put your hat in the ring for one doesn\u2019t come up every day. Because of this, it\u2019s really important that we run a robust process that gives all interested candidates fair and equal consideration,\u201d the spokesperson said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Breakfast presenting role is being advertised internally and externally.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kiwis who reckon they have what it takes to replace Clarkson on Breakfast can expect a salary between $250-350k, according to the pay scale bracket set on Seek.<\/p>\n
If that all sounds tempting, according to the job ad, you\u2019ll also need to prove you are \u201ca dynamic, visionary, credible presenter who will make TVNZ\u2019s Breakfast show unmissable\u201d.<\/p>\n
Keep your hand up if you can \u201cincrease ratings and share for relevant age demographics on both linear and digital platforms\u201d. <\/p>\n
You\u2019ll be out of the running though, if you don\u2019t have a proven ability to make the on-air team \u201cfabulous, inspire ambition, drive creative thinking, and deliver intelligent, compelling storytelling and content that resonates with audiences across all platforms\u201d. <\/p>\n
Do you hold this very particular set of skills? Photo \/ Seek<\/p>\n
Due to an inherent inability to be \u201cfabulous\u201d, that knocks me out of the running. <\/p>\n
Prodigious New Zealanders read on, but only if you know how to \u201cperform live in the field, interact with studio graphics, demonstrate ability to adlib on-air in a cogent, professional and informative and informed manner\u201d.<\/p>\n
Still think you\u2019re in the running? Great, you\u2019ll also need to be able to \u201c maintain an excellent general knowledge and strong awareness of local, national, and international events, and be across daily news developments\u201d.<\/p>\n
But unless you are \u201crelatable and trusted by the New Zealand public,\u201d it\u2019s sadly game over for you. <\/p>\n
So who could actually fill this role? <\/p>\n
Let\u2019s assume TVNZ plans to keep the couch format the same, retaining Chris Chang and only adding a female co-host to replace Clarkson.<\/p>\n
Here are the real possibilities of presenters who are qualified to hit the \u201cApply\u201d button on Seek. <\/p>\n
Kanoa Lloyd. Photo \/ Three<\/p>\n
Kanoa Lloyd <\/p>\n
The former host of The Project is my top pick for a presenter who can deliver exactly what this couch needs and ticks all the job requirement boxes. She\u2019s hugely likeable, can do light and bright as well as serious deep dives. She\u2019s the perfect choice for a refreshed couch while also picking up some of the talent lost in Three\u2019s newsroom closure. <\/p>\n
Anna Burns-Francis <\/p>\n
Burns-Francis was one of Breakfast\u2019s core four until leaving in December 2024, when the show shrank from four to two presenters. But could the new position bring her back from the Middle East, where she\u2019s currently based for her husband\u2019s job? She\u2019s an incredibly strong journalist, liked by viewers, and I hear she\u2019s rock solid at \u201cinteracting with studio graphics\u201d. <\/p>\n
Melissa Chan-Green <\/p>\n
Whispers in media circles put Chan-Green high on the list of possibilities as she\u2019s been spotted with the \u2018who\u2019s who\u2019 of TVNZ in recent months. She\u2019s currently a casual national presenter on RNZ, as well as hosting the School Shorts podcast, but does she have that X-factor to drive audience ratings through the roof? <\/p>\n
Hayley Holt. Photo \/ TVNZ<\/p>\n
Hayley Holt <\/p>\n
She\u2019s done the Breakfast job before, she rates well, and she\u2019s a natural on the couch. The new mum-of-two has recently dipped her toes back into the broadcasting pool, hosting a podcast with Sharon Casey and Bernadine Oliver-Kerby. She could do it, but the question is, would she want to? <\/p>\n
Wilhemina Shrimpton <\/p>\n
Ex-Newshub Late presenter Shrimpton was another talent lost in the Newshub closure. She\u2019s smart, savvy, has a slick presenter presence and can do both hard news and community yarns like a pro. She\u2019s about to walk down the aisle, but will she take a detour to the Breakfast studio on the way? <\/p>\n
Sonia Gray <\/p>\n
Gray is an absolute gem on screen, hugely adored by the New Zealand public and a compassionate and informative broadcaster. She\u2019s held the Lotto presenting role for the last 20 years \u2013 one of the sweetest gigs in NZ broadcasting, but would she be willing to give it up for a 3am Breakfast alarm clock? <\/p>\n
Tova O’Brien. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n
Tova O\u2019Brien<\/p>\n
If TVNZ want to make Breakfast hard news-focused and dive deep in an election year, O\u2019Brien would be a great option to snatch from Stuff. She\u2019s not afraid to tackle hard issues, is a political gun and snatches some power from the ThreeNews\/Stuff news offering. It\u2019s all fair in love and media war. <\/p>\n
Wendy Petrie <\/p>\n
She\u2019s held the biggest job in New Zealand television as TVNZ\u2019s 6pm presenter, and filled in on Breakfast many times over the last few years. She\u2019s got more experience than anyone else on the list, so would surely be a top consideration for the team. <\/p>\n
Laura McGoldrick <\/p>\n
A familiar face on NZ screens and airwaves, and she brings fun and charm to any role she\u2019s put in. McGoldrick is often travelling around the world with various cricket and rugby hosting roles, so would the Breakfast couch keep her happily grounded, or would it bore her senseless? <\/p>\n
Alice Snedden could be a wild card for the role. Photo \/ Andi Crown<\/p>\n
Alice Snedden <\/p>\n
An absolute wildcard, but a fantastic choice nonetheless, is comedian and TVNZ+ Bad News presenter Snedden. Her interview style is warm, funny and informative, and she\u2019s not afraid to challenge powerful figures – a key skill in a role like this. Hopefully, Snedden stumbles upon the Seek ad this week.<\/p>\n
Jenni Mortimer is the New Zealand Herald\u2019s chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The broadcaster, and networks in general, typically don\u2019t advertise for core presenting roles, given the very particular skill…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":142253,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[432,7054,18221,124,156,6440,25630,90678,29530,5978,111,139,69,90,11674,4482,7812,1305,1361,107,20110,19054,437,39163,1299,32531,4512],"class_list":["post-142252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-action","tag-breakfast","tag-clarkson","tag-could","tag-entertainment","tag-ever","tag-hosts","tag-jennymay","tag-luck","tag-might","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-on","tag-reckon","tag-replace","tag-seen","tag-show","tag-that","tag-then","tag-thought","tag-turned","tag-tv","tag-tvnzs","tag-who","tag-yourself","tag-youve"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}