Ex-Today show star reveals the shocking toll the breakfast show took on his health: ‘It was scary’

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Clint Stanaway has opened up on the toll working in breakfast television had on his health.

I was absolutely floored when I heard! Karl Stefanovic, you know, the guy from Today, after twenty-five years with Channel Nine? He just… left! Back in September, it was all over the news. I mean, I’ve been watching him for ages, and it was such a shock to everyone. Seriously, twenty-five years is a lifetime in television! I couldn’t believe it.

Clint shared on the Big Bros podcast that taking on the demanding job and his radio work had negatively impacted his well-being, both physically and mentally.

‘Physically, first and foremost, I was just getting sick a lot, pushing the envelope,’ he admitted.     

I was struggling with a lot of digestive problems, and it was affecting my overall health. I had frequent headaches and couldn’t sleep, even though I was exhausted.

Clint admitted that the issue became so bad that he started experiencing worrying chest pains.

He described feeling frightened and experiencing chest discomfort, including pain and some anxiety.

‘When I finished work, I was going home because I was exhausted. I’d sit on the couch, go to bed.’

Clint confessed he was so busy with work that he had no time for anything else, as he’d been pushing himself too hard.

He described his daily routine as a repetitive cycle: waking up with an alarm, going to work – often including radio or TV work in the same day – returning home around seven, eating dinner, relaxing on the couch, and then going to bed.

‘That was all I was doing.’

He shared that he was experiencing social burnout, explaining that the lack of contact with friends and family was deeply upsetting.

He explained he felt bad about not spending time with his friends, and that he felt like he’d let them down.

It really hurt that they stopped inviting me to birthday parties, knowing I couldn’t come. It felt like they’d just given up trying to include me.

‘That coupled with feeling s*** was just enough.’

In September, Clint unexpectedly announced he was leaving his position, explaining that he’d been struggling with a heavy workload and wanted to reduce it.

Clint explained that balancing his TV work with his role on the Melbourne Nova breakfast show has been a lot to handle over the last two years.

I’ve recently discovered a real passion for radio and plan to focus on it more in the future. I’m also hoping to create a healthier balance between my work and personal life.

He started his career in the early 2000s at GTV9 in Melbourne, working in the news library, and gradually worked his way up.

After starting my career, I really sharpened my skills as a journalist at WIN Television in Bendigo. Eventually, I came back to 9News Melbourne, where I focused on covering news and reporting from the courts – a role I truly enjoyed.

I was so thrilled when the experienced journalist became the Weekend Sport Presenter for 9News Melbourne a few years back! It was a well-deserved role for someone with their dedication and skill.

Clint joined Nova 100’s breakfast show with Jase Hawkins and Lauren Phillips as their newsreader in March 2024.

Clint shared on the podcast that he’s really enthusiastic about the radio show, saying it’s achieving incredible results.

Despite his love for radio, Clint added that he hadn’t closed the door completely on television.

I still enjoy watching TV and haven’t ruled it out completely – I might do some special projects in the future, but right now, my focus is entirely on radio.

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2025-11-07 09:23