Sunrise host David ‘Kochie’ Koch disappears from the news desk after just 25 minutes on air due to a health issue: ‘He couldn’t really speak’
Sunrise co-host David ‘Kochie’ Koch clocked off three hours early on Tuesday after a health issue meant he was unable to continue with the broadcast.
The TV presenter, 66, stepped away from the news desk during an ad break shortly before 6am because he was suffering from laryngitis.
He had been speaking with a croaky voice at the start of the broadcast at 5:30am.
Early dart: Sunrise host David ‘Kochie’ Koch (right, with Natalie Barr) clocked off three hours early on Tuesday after a health issue meant he was unable to continue with the broadcast
His co-anchor Natalie Barr explained his absence to viewers at 5:56am, saying: ‘You may notice something slightly different.
‘Kochie came in [and] he bravely fought on for about 25 minutes. He had laryngitis yesterday and apparently he’s still got it. He couldn’t really speak.’
Newsreader Monique Wright said she had told Kochie to ‘have honey before every intro’ but he refused because he thought it might ‘bring on diabetes or something’.
Heading home: The 66-year-old stepped away from the news desk shortly before 6am because he was suffering from laryngitis. Sports presenter Mark Beretta (right, with Natalie and newsreader Monique Wright) stepped up to co-anchor the show after Kochie left
Sports presenter Mark Beretta, who stepped up to co-anchor the show after Kochie left, joked that his sore throat was due to shouting at the footy over the weekend.
The financial journalist is the chairman of Port Adelaide Football Club, which secured a one-point victory over St Kilda in Cairns on Saturday night.
Kochie’s early dart on Tuesday comes after a major changing of the guard behind the scenes at Sunrise.
Change: Kochie’s early dart on Tuesday comes after a changing of the guard behind the scenes at Sunrise. Longtime executive producer Michael Pell (right, with Kochie, Sam Armytage and Kerri-Anne Kennerley) stepped down last month to take up a new position at the network in LA
The Channel Seven breakfast show’s longtime executive producer Michael Pell stepped down last month to take up a new position at the network in Los Angeles.
Sarah Stinson, the former executive producer of The Morning Show, has been promoted to the newly created role of Director of Morning Television, overseeing Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and The Morning Show.
Meanwhile, day-to-day operations at Sunrise will be handled by executive producer Sean Power, who has spent the past decade working for Seven, 2GB and Nine.
New role: Pell (pictured with actors Matt Damon and Alicia Vikander) will be Channel Seven’s ‘talent scout’ in the U.S. sourcing new formats
New boss: Sarah Stinson (pictured), the former executive producer of The Morning Show, has been promoted to the newly created role of Director of Morning Television, overseeing Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and The Morning Show
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk