The high-stakes battle for Channel Nine’s vacant Today co-host chair has taken a significant turn, with veteran newsman Tom Steinfort emerging as a formidable contender following a promising week behind the morning desk.
In the wake of Karl Stefanovic’s high-profile departure from the network, executives have been actively trialing various male talent combinations to test audience chemistry.
Steinfort’s recent week-long stint alongside Samantha Armytage has delivered a much-needed boost in national ratings along with overwhelmingly positive viewer feedback, putting the 41-year-old journalist in a commanding position.
However, Channel Nine is far from locking in its permanent morning lineup.
In a move that underscores the network’s cautious, trial-and-error strategy, next week will bring another major shift to the breakfast desk: while Steinfort will remain in his co-hosting seat, Samantha Armytage will step aside to make way for a very familiar Nine face—Today Extra co-host Sylvia Jeffreys.
Ratings Lift Scores A Massive Win For Steinfort
The most compelling argument for Steinfort’s permanent appointment has come directly from the raw broadcast figures.
After a difficult period of viewership fluctuations following Stefanovic’s exit and Sarah Abo’s early maternity leave, the national ratings during Steinfort’s week behind the desk showed a clear and encouraging upward trajectory.
On Wednesday, Today captured a national audience of 756,000 viewers across Australia.
This represented a substantial leap from the 696,000 viewers tuned in on the previous Wednesday, when veteran reporter Michael Willesee Jr. held the co-hosting duties alongside Armytage.
The positive momentum sustained into Thursday, with Nine’s flagship breakfast program drawing 722,000 national viewers—a notable rise from the 686,000 recorded during the corresponding broadcast the week prior.
While those improved numbers still leave Nine trailing behind Seven’s market leader Sunrise, which consistently drew over one million national viewers on both days, the upward trend nevertheless provided Nine executives with their most positive signal yet as they navigate this critical transition period.
Internal Praise and A Tested Breakfast Track Record
Behind the scenes at Nine’s North Sydney studios, Steinfort’s steadying presence has drawn praise from both production staff and television insiders.
An industry source described the broadcast week as providing a noticeably smoother and more comfortable viewing experience, commending Steinfort’s relentless work ethic and natural suitability for live morning television.
Steinfort’s seamless adaptation to the pre-dawn pressure comes as no surprise to seasoned TV observers, given his extensive track record within the network’s news and current affairs divisions.
2019 Era: Served as Today’s primary newsreader during the Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner hosting era.
Weekend Duty: Co-hosted Weekend Today, mastering the lighter, conversational rhythm of weekend breakfast TV.
Investigative Credentials: Spent recent years as a prominent investigative reporter for Nine’s premier current affairs program, 60 Minutes.
Because of this deep familiarity with the fast-paced mechanics of breakfast television, stepping back behind the desk was far from unfamiliar territory for the 41-year-old newsman.
Viewer Reaction: Strong Chemistry With Armytage
Audience response to Steinfort’s pairing with Samantha Armytage was equally encouraging throughout the week, with social media commentary reflecting a warm reception to their on-air dynamic.
Viewers frequently highlighted Steinfort’s engaging personality, with many taking to public forums to urge Nine executives to lock him in as Stefanovic’s official, permanent successor.
A central theme in the positive feedback was the natural, unforced chemistry between Steinfort and Armytage—a vital component for any morning hosting duo looking to build long-term audience trust.
“Tom brings a calm authority and great humor to the desk,” one viewer noted online during the broadcast week. “He and Sam actually feel like a natural pairing.”
Despite the positive reception surrounding the Steinfort-Armytage pairing, Nine management remains committed to testing all potential permutations before signing any long-term contracts.
Next Week’s Test: Enter Sylvia Jeffreys
To thoroughly evaluate their options, Nine is shaking up the desk dynamic once again for the upcoming broadcast week.
While Steinfort keeps his seat, Samantha Armytage will step away from the co-hosting role, giving way to Sylvia Jeffreys.
Jeffreys is already a deeply familiar and trusted figure to Channel Nine audiences through her daily role hosting Today Extra alongside David Campbell, as well as her previous multi-year stint as Today’s newsreader.
Pairing Steinfort with Jeffreys gives production executives a valuable opportunity to observe how Steinfort adapts to a different co-host dynamic and whether their shared history within the network yields an even stronger on-screen rhythm.
Network sources are quick to clarify that Armytage’s temporary absence next week does not mean she has been permanently replaced or sidelined.
Rather, it represents an intentional step in Nine’s broader strategy of systematically testing different presenter line-ups in real-time broadcast conditions.
Nine’s Search Remains Far From Over
While Steinfort’s strong ratings performance and glowing viewer feedback have undeniably boosted his prospects, Nine’s talent search is far from a done deal.
Senior network reporter Joel Dry remains prominently featured among the shortlist of candidates being discussed by executives.
Dry could still be handed his own trial opportunity alongside the Today team in the coming weeks as Nine continues to gather data on audience preferences.
For Tom Steinfort, however, the past week has delivered the strongest possible validation of his prime-time hosting credentials.
With another full week behind the morning desk now ahead of him—this time navigating the broadcast alongside Sylvia Jeffreys—Channel Nine will soon have another crucial piece of data to analyze as it shapes the future of its breakfast television lineup.