With the morning show’s ratings continuing to drop, producers are having more crisis meetings than ever before, reveals Woman’s Day‘s exclusive source.
In fact, it’s got to the stage where some very rash and questionable decisions are being made – and one of the most desperate was advising Deborah Knight to cut her hair as she and co-host Georgie Gardner were looking too similar.
“Here’s a woman like Deb, a strong force to be reckoned with and one of the best journos in the country, being told she needed to cut her hair. It’s so wrong on far too many fronts.”
“Both Deb and Georgie pride themselves on being modern women of substance, and yet they’ve been reduced to something as superficial as their hairstyles having to be different,” our source explains.
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Have they reached a split end? (Image: Getty)
Spot the difference
Nine’s decision to replace former co-host Karl Stefanovic with Deb was originally met with praise when it was announced in January.
It marked the first time in Australian TV history that two women were at the helm of a breakfast show.
“It is about time, don’t you think?” Georgie said at the time.
“They have been doing it in the States for years. The fact that Deb is female is just a coincidence.”
However, many industry experts had some reservations as did viewers, who quickly expressed their concerns about the new-look line-up, which also included Tom Steinfort and Brooke Boney.
Seeing double: Many viewers have pointed out how similar the co-hosts look. (Image: Channel Nine)
“The desk looks odd with Georgie and Deb sitting next to each other – they look so similar,” noted one online commentator.
While another suggested, “Love both of them equally, but it’s hard to tell them apart. They’re slowly morphing into one!”
WATCH: Brooke Boney advocates for Australia Day date to be changed on Today. Post continues after the video…
Politics at play
The source adds there’s also much bigger issues at play then the length and style of the co-hosts’ hair.
Deb, 46, will be fronting Nine’s upcoming election coverage alongside respected journalist Peter Overton, and our source reckons Georgie, 48, might not be happy about the appointments.
“The fact Deb was hand-picked over Georgie – who knows what the underlying message is there. It is widely known Deb is actually the better journalist, and will be a much better operator on election night. It was particularly significant because I think Georgie assumed she’d be chosen knowing her close friendship with [Nine CEO] Hugh Marks.
“Deb behind the scenes is so liked by everyone – she’s a top bird and very respected by all.”
The new Today line-up has failed to resonate with viewers. (Image: Getty)
Indeed, following Deb’s Today appointment, Nine’s director of news and current affairs Darren Wick gushed, “Deb is hands-down one of the best interviewers in the country. An incredibly hard-worker, she cuts to the chase with every conversation.”
Georgie on the other hand, has always been a bit more aloof, and has even been cruelly dubbed an “ice queen” by some viewers.
“Deb must be wondering whether she’s made the worst decision of her long and successful career,” says the source.
“I guess only time will tell.”
