Michael Atkinson joins Weekend Today as co-host

Michael Atkinson will join Nine’s Weekend Today team as co-host alongside Alison Piotrowski, following a summer stint on the desk.

The network said Atkinson will become a permanent part of the weekend line-up, after filling in over summer. The move comes ahead of 2026, as the breakfast program refreshes its co-hosting team.

Atkinson said he was “excited and proud” to be joining the Today family, describing the weekend program as “a trusted part of Australians’ weekends”.

“I’ve always had a passion for sport and the impact it has on our lives, so I’m fortunate to be continuing to host Stan Sport’s rugby coverage,” he said, while confirming he will take on the new co-host role.

Replacing Clint Stanaway as co-host

Atkinson steps into the co-host position following Clint Stanaway’s decision to leave Nine at the end of 2025, after nearly 25 years with the network.

Stanaway, who has been Weekend Today co-host and 9News Melbourne’s Weekend Sport Presenter, said he would step away to focus on his full-time radio role on Nova’s *Jase & Lauren* breakfast show, citing workload and work/life balance.

“It’s been a huge workload juggling both TV and being part of the Melbourne Nova breakfast team over the past couple of years,” Stanaway said in his farewell statement. “I am passionate about my new found love for radio and have decided to give it priority moving forward.”

Nine’s National News Director Hugh Nailon said Stanaway’s career was “a stellar example” of what could be achieved through hard work, praising him as a “brilliant journalist and storyteller” and a mentor in the newsroom.

Clint Stanaway

What Alison Piotrowski said

Piotrowski said Atkinson “jumped into the hot seat over summer” and “took to the show like a duck to water”.

“He’s sports mad, incredibly knowledgeable, and has a wonderful sense of humour,” she said. “We’re looking forward to making Weekend Today even better for our viewers in 2026.”

Background and other roles

Raised in south-west Queensland towns St George and Quilpie, Atkinson’s early sporting interests included rugby league, swimming, cricket, tennis and horse racing, Nine said.

He began his media career at 29, working as a sports journalist and presenter across 9News Gold Coast and Brisbane. He has also contributed to Nine’s Wide World of Sports broadcasts, including the Brisbane International and Suncorp Super Netball.

Atkinson is also an ambassador for Youngcare, and completed a 250km trek through the Simpson Desert in 2021 to support the disability charity.

Top image: Alison Piotrowski, Michael Atkinson & Lizzie Pearl

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