As far as shock announcements go, this one was right up there.
It’s fair to say that next to no one outside of TVNZ was expecting Mike Hosking and Toni Street to jointly decide to leave Seven Sharp.
Not since Hilary Barry left her work husband Mike McRoberts at Newshub have we been more surprised.
No doubt this announcement has been a long time coming and TVNZ already have a plan for who will take over, but we thought we’d make some helpful suggestions. And our readers have been doing the same.
Perhaps our favourite reader suggestion was Jason Gunn and Thingee. After all, can you think of a more iconic New Zealand television duo?
Let’s take a look at the contenders.
Hilary Barry
Hilary is TVNZ’s biggest star. Poaching her from Mediaworks was a major coup and it would make sense to move her to their flagship evening show.
Jack Tame
If Hilary takes over Toni’s role, Jack is an obvious candidate to replace Mike. Seven Sharp is all about the chemistry between the hosts, so having a team with an already proven rapport would be a winner. And he’s hosted the show before, having previously filled in for Mike Hosking.
Ali Pugh
Ali Pugh was a viewer favourite on Breakfast before she left to have her daughter Thea. She moved back to her home town of Christchurch and while she is still reporting for TVNZ, she has been largely out of the spotlight. Earlier this year she took on a morning radio show hosting role. We’d love to see her back in a full time presenting role.
Corin Dann
Corin hosted Breakfast for four and a half years before moving to Wellington to take on the political editor role. Could it be time for a move back to hosting?
Pippa Wetzell
Pippa is another hot contender. She is well loved by viewers and has filled in on Seven Sharp while Toni was on maternity leave. Maybe it’s time to bring her out of the wilderness of Fair Go.
John Campbell
TV just hasn’t been the same since John Campbell left. We’re starting the campaign now – BRING BACK JOHN CAMPBELL! Our lives would be complete.
Carol Hirschfeld
And while we’re on the topic of bringing back our favourite TV personalities, how about Carol Hirschfeld. She and John Campbell were a powerhouse television couple. Not since Judy Bailey and John Hawkesby had we seen a duo with as much gravitas.
Mike McRoberts
Could it be time to bring Mike and Hilary back together? He’s the long shot, but stranger things have happened.
Ali Mau
Ali is an extremely experienced presenter, having worked on Breakfast, Fair Go and the first incarnation of Seven Sharp. She was also the fill in anchor on Prime TV for the Godfather of current affairs, Paul Holmes.
Simon Barnett
Another long shot, but Simon Barnett is wasted on radio. We’d love to see him return to our TV screens. He’s signed with Mediaworks until the end of 2018, but could there be some wriggle room to get out of the contract early?
Rebecca Wright
Rebecca is currently TVNZ’s New York correspondent. She worked on Campbell Live before that, so is familiar with the 7pm format, but has come into her own since those early reporting days.
Jenny-May Clarkson
Jenny-May is a natural on TV, but she needs more room to let her personality shine. We get glimpses of it every now and then but she doesn’t get much of an opportunity when she’s reading the sports news. A hosting role could be just the gig she needs.
Michael Holland
We love Michael’s heartwarming stories. Maybe he’d be wasted as a presenter – the lovely touch he brings to difficult and inspiring stories would be missed – but he’s got a relatability that would make him great in the role.
Jessica Mutch
Jess is currently a One News political reporter and co-presenter of Q&A. Prior to that she was their Europe correspondent based in London. She has the experience and knowledge needed, but is perhaps unproven in a more relaxed format show.
Marc Ellis
Yes it’s a long shot, we know, but Marc Ellis is at home on TV. He’s cheeky, sometimes irreverent, but always entertaining. With a strong woman to keep him in check he could be good. The anti Mike Hosking, if you will.
Anika Moa
Speaking of strong women, Anika Moa comes to mind. The singer songwriter has branched out into interviewing and her current gig has seen her hosting ‘All Talk With Anika Moa’ on Maori Television. She’s ‘out there’ and unpredictable for sure, but pairing her with someone like John Campbell could be ratings gold.
