She would normally be 2GB’s number one pick to replace Ray Hadley and Alan Jones over the summer break, but it seems Today host Deborah Knight will be benched later this year – but the mother-of-three is said to be quietly relieved.
“She has confided there are challenges with balancing her work and her marriage, and with the huge workload of Today as well as weekend work, she’s feeling the pressure,” says an insider.
And unless Deb, 46, gets a pay rise that’s more in line with her heavy workload, she’s only too happy to spend quality time with her husband Lindsay Dunbar and their children Darcy, 10, Elsa, eight, and Audrey, three, instead.
“Her family is far more important than this – she saw what happened to Karl’s first marriage, which to a large extent broke down because of the job demands,” adds the insider.
Deborah (left) hosts Today with Georgie Gardner (right) but her family is her number one priority.
(Image:@deborah_knight/ Instagram)
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As part of the new Today lineup that was revealed after former stars Karl Stefanovic, Sylvia Jeffreys and Tim Gilbert got the boot, Deborah has faced intense scrutiny.
Not everyone has been pleased with the changes, with ratings continuing to dwindle while Deborah and co-host Georgie Gardner face intense backlash.
In recent months rumours swept the TV industry that axed host Karl Stefanovic could be on the verge of a comeback to breakfast TV as Channel Nine executives search for a way to save Today.
“Karl’s comeback could be the story of the year,” predicted Rob McKnight, who is the former executive producer of Studio 10 and host of the controversial TV Blackbox podcast.
WATCH: Relive the moment Deborah Knight announced her pregnancy live on the Weekend Today show. Story continues after video…
“Nine have to face up to the fact it was a mistake to get rid of him.”
Channel Nine insiders last week confirmed that Deb has long been close to Karl, supporting him behind the scenes when his career was in crisis late last year – and remains “fond” of him, and has always enjoyed working with him.
“There’s virtually no chemistry between Georgie and Deb, but Karl and Deb work well together and have a sense of humour which resonates with viewers, where-as Georgie is still seen as a bit too prim and proper,” one insider says.
Could Karl (left) return to the Today show and replace Georgie (right)?
(Image: Channel Nine)