Jenny-May Clarkson will be joining the Breakfast team as newsreader, TVNZ announced this morning.
“I’m stoked to be joining Breakfast,” she said. “It’s a privilege to be welcomed into the homes of Kiwis across the country as they start their day. The team is awesome, and this marks an exciting time for me and my family, and one that I’m ready to jump into, albeit with a large coffee in hand.”
Jenny-May replaces Daniel Faitaua who left the show last week to take up the role of Europe correspondent for TVNZ.
It was a tearful goodbye for Daniel as he wrapped up his last show on Wednesday. The “bittersweet farewell” was even more sad because not only was Daniel saying goodbye to his friends and colleagues, he also revealed that his brother was dying from cancer and only had days to live.
“He’s the one that said to me, ‘Go back and finish your last show with your family, with your friends, with your colleagues and say goodbye to everyone’, including him,” Daniel shared. “So Anthony, if you’re watching, I love you so much.”
It wasn’t all tears though. There were light-hearted moments too, and one of the highlights was a hilarious tribute to Daniel, showcasing his best moments on air.
Watch: Daniel Faitaua’s best TV moments. Article continues below.
While she does have big shoes to fill on the show, Jenny-May is very familiar to Breakfast audiences. She has been a regular fill-in for Daniel and has long been a part of the TVNZ sports team. The former Silver Fern retired from netball in 2004 and joined TVNZ as a sports reporter the following year.
“We couldn’t be happier that Jenny-May is joining the Breakfast team,” says Executive Producer Jonathan Williams. “We love her down to earth personality, her wit, and her warmth.
“She’s walked a unique path to Breakfast – from elite athlete, to police officer, to sports journalist – and that’s part of what makes her such a special broadcaster. We’re looking forward to getting to know Jenny-May better, along with all our keen Breakfast fans.”
Jenny-May was on air this morning and will fill in for the rest of the week before officially taking up the role on 30th September.
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