Last week it was announced that Tom Steinfort and Sylvia Jeffreys are the new permanent co-hosts of Today, and their appointment comes after months of speculation about who was going to take over the Today desk following the abrupt exits of Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo.
However, they reportedly weren’t the only dynamic duo Channel 9 were considering for the highly sought after anchor roles.
According to industry insiders, the network might also have sports commentators Todd Woodbridge and Jelena Dokic waiting in the wings as a ‘plan B’ in case things don’t work out with Tom and Sylvia.
The pair have been working together as sports commentators for years and they recently hosted the Channel 9 Upfronts, the yearly event where the network showcases their upcoming slate of TV shows and sports coverage to advertisers.
“That wasn’t just about the Upfronts. It was also a chance to see what Todd and Jelena could look like outside sport,” an insider spills to Woman’s Day.
“They’re a known quantity, but there’s still a lot of untapped potential there. If you’re quietly developing a plan B, giving them more news and entertainment-facing opportunities makes sense.”
While Todd and Jelena are one of Australia’s most loved TV duos, with their incredible friendship and chemistry coming across on screen, they’ve mostly been focused on sports coverage up until now.
“You don’t suddenly put two people into those chairs and hope for the best. You give them smaller opportunities, watch how audiences respond and see whether the chemistry translates,” the insider explains.
“Todd and Jelena have the live-TV experience, the sporting credibility and, importantly, a natural rapport. They’ve already shown they can handle a big Nine event – breakfast television wouldn’t be as big a leap as people might think.”
However, it’s likely Todd and Jelena have no idea the network might have bigger plans in the works for them.
“If Nine is thinking several moves ahead, they certainly wouldn’t be telling them they’re the plan B.
“They’d probably see these opportunities as Nine giving them more to do, rather than quietly testing them for something bigger. That’s how these things can happen – the talent doesn’t necessarily know what conversations are happening behind closed doors.
“No one is going to walk up to Todd and Jelena and say, ‘You’re our backup plan.’ The idea is to give them more opportunities, see how they work together and keep the option there if it’s ever needed.”
It’s likely to be business as usual for the pair as they continue to host more events and start to be seen by a wider audience.
“They don’t need to know they’re being auditioned for anything. If the chemistry is already there, the smartest thing Nine can do is keep putting them together and see where it leads.”
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