Election coverage: Nine ‘snubs’ Today hosts Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon

Today anchors Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon reportedly pitched themselves to host Channel Nine’s election night coverage on May 21.

But the network rejected their offer and instead chose newsreaders Peter Overton and Alicia Loxley for the gig, according to The Australian’s Media Diary.

Loxley, 40, who presents the afternoon news in Melbourne, is stepping in to replace 2GB host Deborah Knight, who fronted Nine’s 2019 election coverage with Overton.

Overton, 56, is the longtime anchor for Nine News Sydney’s 6pm broadcast.

Stefanovic, 47, and Langdon, 42, are said to have ‘made a pitch’ to host the coverage, citing their experience interviewing politicians almost daily on the Today show.

Their grillings of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese have frequently set the news agenda during the federal election campaign.

However, Nine decided Overton and Loxley were a safer bet, with a network source telling Media Diary: ‘We have an abundance of talent at the network who could have done a great job.’

Options: The network rejected their offer, however, and instead chose newsreaders Peter Overton (left) and Alicia Loxley (right) for the gig, according to The Australian’s Media Diary

It comes after Mr Albanese was grilled by Langdon on Friday morning about the rising cost of living as inflation hits a 21-year high at 5.1 per cent. 

The Opposition Leader, who had just recovered from Covid, said he had been doing some online shopping in quarantine and noted the cost of an iceberg lettuce was now $5.50.

He was interrupted by the Today co-host, who said: ‘I don’t think people want to hear politicians telling us what the problem is anymore.

‘People are living this every day. They know what the problem is. They want to know how you are going to fix it!’

Qualified: Stefanovic, 47, and Langdon, 42, are said to have ‘made a pitch’ to host the election coverage, citing their experience interviewing politicians almost daily on the Today show

Briefly taken off guard, Mr Albanese insisted Labor would fix the issue by addressing wages while taking a swipe at the Coalition government.

‘This government won’t even put in submissions supporting a wage increase for aged care workers,’ he said.

‘We will lift productivity through the national reconstruction fund, by having the NBN operate properly to lift the productivity of businesses, and then the way you can place better profits and better wages.’

‘The only way you can do that without placing pressure on inflation is by making sure you have those productivity improvements, and we are aiming at that as well.’

Tough questions: Their grillings of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese (pictured) have frequently set the news agenda during the election campaign