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Calls for Matt Shirvington to be permanently replaced on Sunrise by his lookalike colleague as mystery surrounds his absence

BBG News

Audience members have suggested that permanent host David Woiwod should take over from presenter Matt Shirvington on the Sunrise show.

During this past week, the temporary stand-in for Matt has been co-hosting the Channel Seven morning news program with Natalie Barr, as Matt takes his annual vacation. Some viewers have expressed their desire for him to continue in this role permanently.

One critic expressed their growing preference for Woi over Shirvo, acknowledging Matt’s commendable progress but noting that David exudes a stronger air of authority from a journalistic perspective, as they put it on the industry blog Media Spy.

Shirvo lacks what Karl has, which is extensive experience in continuous news reporting over the years. In my opinion, I’d preferably switch their roles and assign Shirvo to weekend news coverage.

Another individual concurred, stating, “Woi possesses remarkable skills that allow him to tackle significant news with confidence while maintaining a friendly and captivating demeanor suitable for lighter pieces and celebrity interactions.

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A third individual mentioned that Woiwood and Nat share a casual camaraderie and harmony which Matt and she have not quite mastered yet.

According to the latest report, it appears that Seven News executives had covertly been contemplating dismissing some of their highest-earning and well-liked on-air personalities.

Previously prominent news executive Anthony De Ceglie reportedly devised a strategy to eliminate all Channel Seven personalities making over $300,000 annually, opting instead for emerging television talents, as suggested by the Media Diary column in The Australian newspaper.

It had been decided in secret that Liam Bartlett (Spotlight’s chief correspondent), Chris Reason (Seven News’ chief reporter), and Michael Usher (Seven News Sydney anchor) would be let go as part of an extensive cost reduction strategy.

Natalie, Matt, Kylie Gillies, and Larry Emdur, the presenters of Sunrise and Morning Show, were the only high-profile employees whose jobs weren’t in jeopardy due to potential layoffs.

But De Ceglie’s plan faced quick opposition from Seven’s veteran executives.

Longtime Channel Seven newscaster Sharyn Ghidella was let go by the network in July of the previous year, following nearly four decades spent in the journalism field.

Ghidella, who has been the familiar face of Seven News in Queensland since 2007, shared the news in a passionate Facebook post back then.

She admitted that the long-awaited tap on her shoulder occurred when she was at the salon. It brought a sense of relief after several tense weeks due to potential job losses in the media industry.

However, she refused to leave without a fight, as she targeted the troubled network for favoring astrology readings over preserving established talents.

In television work, as I’ve experienced for over three decades, each day brings an unspoken anticipation of the familiar pat on the back… Finally, after 38 years, that long-awaited pat on the back has arrived, shared Ghidella.

‘It wasn’t quite how I expected it to end at Channel Seven.

While engaged in my professional duties at the hair salon, I received a call that marked an significant turning point in my career journey: after 17 years of dedicated service, I was informed that my tenure with the network had come to an end.

After that, Ghidella expressed that her recent stint at the network had been incredibly unpleasant, and she was delighted to be leaving.

In addition to numerous reductions, Queensland sky observer Paul Burt and Melbourne crime journalist Cameron Baud were both let go from the network as well.

During an uncomfortable, live broadcast finale, Burt expressed his anger towards Channel Seven following his termination by the network back in July of the previous year.

He presented his final weather segment and took aim at the network during his sign-off.

If given a chance, he wouldn’t have chosen this path. He made that comment during the 6 pm news, expressing that it’s often the result of being fired.

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2025-07-03 05:51

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