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Allison Langdon has become the favorite in Channel Nine’s hunt for a new presenter for A Current Affair.
After weeks of speculation, TV sources say Langdon – who served as co-host of Today for two years – is now the likely replacement for Tracy Grimshaw who recently marked her retirement after 17 years.
Clearly Nine is ready to finally announce the hosting change that comes after weeks of on-air trials and speculation about the ACA role widely regarded as one of the best jobs in Australian broadcasting.
Allison Langdon has risen to the front of the pack in Channel Nine’s search for a new host for A Current Affair
Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon have helmed Today for the past two seasons, but Langdon would love to play the ACA role
Among those also being considered is Nine News political reporter Chris O’Keefe, who hosted a pilot episode in October.
Nine’s long-serving police reporter Dimity Clancey is also said to have been shortlisted, along with veteran broadcaster (and short-lived Today co-host Deborah Knight) and Today Extra co-host Sylvia Jeffries.
However, Langdon remains the favourite, despite the fact that her departure would open the co-host role of Today – a show that continues to struggle in its ongoing battle against the all-conquering Sunrise.
This year marks the 19th consecutive year that Sunrise has ranked first this year.
Sunrise hasn’t lost a viewing week to Today this year either, despite Nine’s rise to prominence with its primetime offerings such as The Block and Married At First Sight.
Today, Extra co-host Sylvia Jeffries (pictured with friends second from right) is also believed to be in the mix for the ACA runway
Langdon (with son Mack) remains the favorite despite the fact that her departure would open the co-host role on Today
In fact, Today has yet to fully recover from its ill-fated experiment to have Georgie Gardner and Deb Knight run the show together from January to November in 2019 before both were unceremoniously fired.
Today hasn’t won a single viewing week since that highly publicized era, ultimately leading to Karl Stefanovic being reappointed after a network-enforced hiatus.
However, the subsequent partnership with Langdon has also struggled to make significant ground on Sunrise, which recently bolstered its stocks by confirming long-serving co-host David Koch struck a deal that would, however, see him through at least the end of 2024. to see.
Meanwhile, the move to ACA for Langdon allowed popular reporter and former US correspondent Amelia Adams – who recently took on a role on 60 Minutes – to install alongside Stefanovic on Today.
Former US correspondent Amelia Adams (R) – who recently took on a role on 60 Minutes – could potentially join Stefanovic on Today.
Langdon (right) was the eighth woman to co-host with Karl Stefanovic and served two years on the controversial breakfast show
Adams tops a list of candidates to be considered for the Today role, with longtime substitute Sarah Abo also reportedly in the mix.
Whoever takes over from Today would make them the ninth woman to co-host with Stefanovic in 17 seasons of the breakfast show.
For ACA, it will be the first new host since Grimshaw came in for Ray Martin in 2006.
Langdon could add her name to an illustrious list of titans like Martin, Mike Munro and Jana Wendt.
Interestingly, Langdon’s husband Mike Willesee Jr is the son of the late former ACA great Mike Willesee who hosted the program’s first three seasons and five more later.
Langdon with son Mack and husband Mike Willesee Jr, son of the late Mike Willesee
Mike Willesee (seen here in archival footage) was ACA’s inaugural host, leading a total of eight seasons
Famously one of the highest-paid gigs on Australian TV — Grimshaw’s take-home reportedly grew to $700,000 a year by the time of her retirement — the ACA hosting gig is also coveted for its relatively short workweek.
Taking into account the time spent on hair and makeup, the job requires the host to be in the studio only a few hours a day, five days a week – with generous breaks during the “summer” – and non- assessment periods.
Conversely, today – though also lucrative – demands a lot more from hosts, especially women who need more time for hair and makeup and who often have to arrive at Nine’s studios around 4 a.m.
Speaking to Ray Hadley about her decision to quit ACA last month, Grimshaw said her time had come when a three-month hiatus from the airwaves felt like “three weeks.”
Famously one of the highest paying gigs on Australian TV – Grimshaw’s take-home reportedly grew to $700,000 a year by the time of her retirement
Langdon could add her name to an illustrious list of ACA hosts, including broadcast titans like Mike Munro, Jana Wendt and Mike Willesee.
“At the end of last year I kind of knew I was pretty fried and I took three months off — and I came back after three months feeling like it was three weeks and I was like, ‘I’m a little overcooked,'” she said. .
The host revealed that for the past two and a half years she “forgot how to sleep” while providing information about the pandemic, because she was up so many early mornings to keep up with what was happening around the world.
During the interview, Grimshaw explained why she chose to drop her retirement bomb in the sky.
“We kept it such a secret because… we wanted our viewers to know it from someone else and we wanted them to hear it from me and not from maybe some newspaper or gossip columnist twisting it,” Grimshaw revealed.
“And if you want to keep a secret, don’t tell anyone.”