News Breakfast
Logo used since August 2024
GenreBreakfast news program
Presented byJames Glenday
Bridget Brennan
Theme music composerColin Kiddy
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerTyson Shine
Production locationsMelbourne, Victoria
Running time180 minutes (3 hours)
Original release
NetworkABC Family (2008–2011)
ABC News (2010–present)
ABC TV (2011–present)
Release3 November 2008 (2008-11-03) –
present

News Breakfast is an Australian news breakfast television program. It is broadcast on ABC TV and ABC News channel from 6:00 am to 9:00 am AEST or AEDT on weekdays and is hosted by James Glenday and Bridget Brennan. The program is also streamed live on ABC iView and the Australia Network throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

History

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The program commenced broadcasting on 3 November 2008 as ABC News Breakfast on ABC2, with hosts Virginia Trioli, Barrie Cassidy (Monday-Thursday) and Joe O'Brien (Friday), sport presenter Paul Kennedy and weather presenter Vanessa O'Hanlon.[1][2]

News Breakfast is currently hosted by James Glenday and Bridget Brennan and is broadcast on ABC TV and ABC News. They are joined by news presenter Emma Rebellato, sport presenter Catherine Murphy and weather presenter Nate Byrne. Tyson Shine is the program's executive producer.

In January 2009, O'Brien replaced Cassidy as a full-time co-host with Cassidy continuing to appear on the program providing political commentary.

In June 2010, Michael Rowland replaced O'Brien, who moved back to Sydney to present ABC News Mornings on ABC News 24.

In May 2011, the program moved to the ABC, with children's programming moving to ABC2 and ABC3.

In November 2011, it was announced that the ABC News Breakfast brand would expand to the weekend with Weekend Breakfast hosted by Andrew Geoghegan and Miriam Corowa.[3]

In January 2014, ABC News Breakfast had an extensive makeover, launching a larger new and improved set with three different individual presenting areas. The set includes a news desk, a newswall presenting area and a soft set with seating. The new set kept the existing couch that has been seen on air since the show's launch.

In April 2017, following the refresh of the ABC News brand, the show rebranded to News Breakfast.[4]

In May 2019, Trioli announced she will leave News Breakfast to replace Jon Faine as the Mornings presenter on ABC Radio Melbourne.[5]

In June 2019, the ABC announced that Lisa Millar would succeed Virginia Trioli, commencing on 19 August.[6] Trioli finished on the show on 16 August.[7]

In November 2023, the ABC announced that Bridget Brennan will join the show as news presenter and co-host the show one day per week whilst Lisa Millar works on other projects.[8][9]

In July 2024, Millar announced she will leave News Breakfast, to focus on other projects across the ABC. Her last show was on 23 August 2024.[10] Bridget Brennan has been announced as Millar's replacement.[11]

In November 2024, Rowland announced that he will leave News Breakfast after almost 15 years so he can focus on other stuff within the ABC.[12] His last show was on 13 December 2024. In December 2024, ABC announced that former ABC News correspondent and ABC News ACT presenter James Glenday will replace Rowland from 20 January 2025.[13] Catherine Murphy will also join the team as sport presenter.

Format

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News Breakfast covers the latest news, analysis, debate, finance, sport and weather. It draws upon the resources of ABC newsrooms and radio programs across Australia and the world.

The program is broadcast live on ABC in the states of New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania all-year round. It is broadcast on a 30-minute delay in South Australia (all-year) and the Northern Territory (wintertime). On wintertime, Queensland broadcasts the program live, while Western Australia airs the program on a two-hour delay.

During summer, when only some Australian states adopt daylight saving time, Queensland receives the program on a one-hour delay, a 90-minute delay in the Northern Territory and on a three-hour delay in Western Australia. Either way, the ABC News channel broadcasts the program live across Australia from 6:00 am AEST/AEDT.

Weekend Breakfast

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Weekend Breakfast is a mix of live breaking news and discussion, interviews with newsmakers and the weekend sport and weather hosted by Johanna Nicholson and Fauziah Ibrahim.[14] The show began on 4 February 2012 and airs from 7:00 am to 11:00 am on weekend mornings on the ABC News channel. It is simulcast on the ABC TV on Sunday mornings from 7:00 am to 9:00 am.

The Breakfast Couch

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The Breakfast Couch is a highlights show which covers the best arts and entertainment chats from the previous week on News Breakfast. The show began on 12 August 2017.

Presenters and reporters

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News Breakfast

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Presenter Role Tenure
James Glenday Co-host 2025–present
Bridget Brennan Co-host 2024–present
Emma Rebellato News 2024–present
Catherine Murphy Sport 2025–present
Nate Byrne Weather 2017–present

Weekend Breakfast

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Presenter Role Tenure
Johanna Nicholson Co-host 2019–present
Fauziah Ibrahim Co-host 2020–present
Jared Coote Sport 2019–present
Daniela Intili Sport 2019–present

Fill-in presenters

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Current presenters who have been fill-in hosts or co-hosts of News Breakfast in recent times include Emma Rebellato, Stephanie Ferrier, David Speers, Catherine Murphy, Margaret Paul, Iskhandar Razak and Daniel Ziffer.

Fill-in presenters for other roles:

Other presenters who have filled in presenting News Breakfast in the past include Ali Moore, Jeremy Fernandez, Kumi Taguchi, Del Irani, Paul Kennedy, Emma Alberici, Hamish Macdonald, Bridget Brennan, Mary Gearin, James Glenday, Madeleine Morris, Zoe Daniel, John Barron, Georgie Tunny, Greg Jennett, Sara James, Beverley O'Connor, Fauziah Ibrahim, Tracee Hutchison, Frances Bell, Karina Carvalho, Melissa Clarke and Tamara Oudyn.

Former presenters

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News Breakfast

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Presenter Role Tenure
Barrie Cassidy Co-host 2008
Joe O'Brien Co-host 2008–2010
Virginia Trioli Co-host 2008–2019
Lisa Millar Co-host 2019–2024
Michael Rowland Co-host 2010–2024
Vanessa O'Hanlon Weather 2008–2016
Paul Kennedy Sport 2008–2021
Del Irani Finance 2015–2019
Madeleine Morris Finance 2019–2023
Tony Armstrong Sport 2021–2024

Weekend Breakfast

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Presenter Role Tenure
Miriam Corowa Co-host 2012–2018
Andrew Geoghegan Co-host 2012–2019
Josh Szeps Co-host 2019

Regulars

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The program features a number of regular segments and guests which appear each morning discussing the latest news and politics.

References

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  1. ^ Knox, David (3 October 2008). "Meet the new team for Breakfast". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  2. ^ Rowland, Michael (4 November 2013). "Inside the absurd world of breakfast TV". ABC News. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  3. ^ Knox, David (2 December 2011). "Ali Moore quits Lateline, host changes at 7:30 and News Breakfast". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  4. ^ Knox, David (8 April 2017). "New-look ABC News ditches News 24". TV Tonight. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Virginia Trioli to leave News Breakfast for major gig on ABC Radio Melbourne". ABC News. Melbourne. 1 May 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Lisa Millar to take over from Virginia Trioli on ABC News Breakfast". ABC News. 18 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Lisa Millar announced as new host of ABC News Breakfast". 18 June 2019.
  8. ^ "Bridget Brennan joins News Breakfast | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  9. ^ Laidlaw, Kyle (1 November 2023). "BRIDGET BRENNAN appointed to newsreader position on ABC NEWS BREAKAST". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Lisa Millar to farewell ABC News Breakfast". ABC News. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  11. ^ "'An important moment for my mob': Bridget Brennan to co-host ABC News Breakfast". ABC News. 14 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Michael Rowland leaves News Breakfast after 15 years but will stay at ABC". ABC News. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  13. ^ "James Glenday to replace Michael Rowland as News Breakfast co-host in 2025". ABC News. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  14. ^ "The Drum launches in prime-time; new roles for Patricia Karvelas and Josh Szeps; ABC NEWS channel unveils 2019 line-up". tv.press.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
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