She debuted as the co-host on Today after seasoned journalist Lisa Wilkinson defected to a rival network.
And while the show went off without a hitch on Monday morning, Georgie Gardner’s appearance didn’t make as much of a splash as Channel Nine likely hoped it would.
On her first episode starring alongside Karl Stefanovic the show garnered 256,000 viewers across all five major capital cities.
Off to a flailing start? Georgie Gardner’s debut as co-host on Today falls short behind regular TV numbers for rival breakfast show Sunrise
But Channel Seven’s Sunrise with Samantha Armytage and David Koch managed to still beat them overall with 281,000 viewers nationwide.
It wasn’t all bad news though, with Today pulling rank over Sunrise in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as across the key advertising demographics of 16-39s, 18-49s and 25-54s.
Many viewers commented on Georgie’s professionalism after the show, but urged the network to think of Karl Stefanovic’s position.
Still on top! But Channel Seven’s Sunrise with Samantha Armytage and David Koch managed to still beat them overall with 281,000 viewers nationwide
‘Love Georgie, can’t stand Karl,’ wrote one viewer. ‘Hope Channel Nine wake up, he is not worth the $$. How many more times does he have to appear drunk or hung-over’.
While another wrote: ‘Don’t like Karl, get him off.’
Georgie told The Daily Telegraph on Sunday that the pressures of live television in conjunction with the social media age have made her nervous about intense ‘scrutiny.’
‘There’s a part of me that feels wary because we live in a time now where there is just so much scrutiny, we live in this very weird era of clickbait and I just hope with that I don’t lose my spontaneity,’ she said.
It’s not true! When asked about rumours of a feud with her co-host Karl, Georgie dismissed it as gossip, saying it’s been ‘hyped up a fair bit’
‘I figure we’re all at risk of saying something that we might… regret or feel ‘oh gosh I wish I didn’t say that.’ But I hope that doesn’t override the genuine side of me and my authenticity.’
When asked about rumours of a feud with her co-host Karl, Georgie dismissed it as gossip, saying it’s been ‘hyped up a fair bit.’
It comes after an insider claimed the Perth-native will face a pressure test in her new role.
The breakfast TV host will be getting the ‘hard-hitting interviews’ on the show to make her mark, while it’s been claimed that her and Karl’s rumoured tension has been ‘overplayed.’
Georgie replaced veteran host of 10 years, Lisa Wilkinson, 58, after she made a shock resignation following an alleged pay dispute in October last year.
And they’re still friends! Georgie replaced veteran host of 10 years, Lisa Wilkinson, 58, after she made a shock resignation following an alleged pay dispute in October last year