Lisa Millar gets ABC News Breakfast gig, replacing Virginia Trioli
• Michael Rowland stays on couch, but adds network presenting role
In a shakeup at ABC News Breakfast, Lisa Millar (pictured) is setting her alarm to join the brekky couch from August – co-host Michael Rowland is staying with the TV program, yet will take on an additional role as the ABC’s senior network presenter.
Millar, who returned to Australia last October after overseas postings in the US and Europe, will take over from Virginia Trioli on the program starting Monday 19 August.
“I’ve been traveling quite a bit in regional Australia since I got back and people are always asking me about the brekky team and whether everyone is as nice and friendly as they seem,” Millar said.
“The answer is a definite yes. And I can’t wait to join them.”
As well as co-presenting News Breakfast, Michael Rowland will have a new role anchoring coverage of big local and world events across ABC News programs and platforms, including the 7pm News – as he has already done this year with stories ranging from the Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi to Bob Hawke’s memorial service.
“I look forward to drawing on my experience as a foreign correspondent, and the dozens of on-location broadcasts I've hosted for News Breakfast over the years, to bring to ABC audiences breaking stories from around Australia and around the world,” Rowland said.
“I’m also so excited to be sharing the breakfast couch with Lisa Millar. She’s undoubtedly one of this country's finest journalists and brings a genuine warmth and empathy to the screen. And we’re great mates.
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“It’s been a pleasure working alongside Virginia for the past nine years – we’ve been part of a formidable team. ABC Radio Melbourne will benefit enormously from her broadcasting prowess.”
After being with News Breakfast since its debut in 2008, Virginia Trioli is moving to present the mornings shift on ABC Melbourne Radio. Her farewell program TV will be on Thursday 15 August.
Trioli said: "I'm so happy for Lisa and for the fabulous News Breakfast audience that they're going to spend mornings together. Lisa's a brilliant journalist and communicator and this is a perfect fit.
"I'm bubble-wrapping my alarm clock and sending it over."
