Australia has long had an affinity with daytime television, with the likes of Sunrise, Today, and Studio 10 still waking up the nation with their blend of news, current affairs and lighthearted banter.
In the past, the likes of Good Morning Australia and The Midday Show kept housewives, the unemployed, stay-at-home-dads and children off sick from school entertained for decades.
While these shows featured celebrity interviews and coverage of national and global news events, it was the on-screen talent which made them so popular.
Here, Daily Mail Australia looks back at the stars of daytime television of yesteryear.
Where are they now? Australia has long had an affinity with daytime television, with the likes of Sunrise, Today, and Studio 10 still waking up the nation with their blend of news, current affairs and lighthearted banter. Pictured: Kerri-Anne Kennerley
Bert Newton: Good Morning Australia
Television pioneer Bert Newton reigned supreme as the King of morning television as host of Good Morning Australia from 1992 to 2005.
Bert brought his quick wit, subtly risqué humour and consummate professionalism to the role, and the show became a nationwide favourite thanks to Bert trading banter with the likes of musical director John Foreman and floor manager Robert ‘Belvedere’ Mascara.
Post GMA, Bert lent his talents to various TV shows, including Bert’s Family Feud and 20 to One. He also treaded the boards in such theatrical productions as The Wizard Of Oz, Grease and The Rocky Horror Show.
Legend: Television pioneer Bert Newton reigned supreme as the King of morning television as host of Good Morning Australia from 1992 to 2005
Going strong: Bert celebrated his 79th birthday in July this year, after suffering a series of health scares that saw him in and out of hospital battling pneumonia
Bert celebrated his 79th birthday in July this year, after suffering a series of health scares that saw him in and out of hospital battling pneumonia.
His wife Patti, a television legend in her own right, was recently forced to deny claims by Woman’s Day suggesting that Bert was on death’s door and had been crying in a photo the magazine published on its cover.
Bert has long been a keen punter and the publication also reported that he and Patti were in debt, with the cause of the trouble said to be Bert’s gambling.
Jeannie Little: Mike Walsh Show/ Midday
Icon: Jeannie Little is the larger-than-life entertainer who brought her unique brand of effervescent humour to The Mike Walsh Show, various incarnations of Midday, and as a regular panellist on the long-running chat show Beauty And The Beast.
Health struggle: Tragically, Jeannie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2009 and is currently being cared for in a nursing home
Jeannie Little is the larger-than-life entertainer who brought her unique brand of effervescent humour to The Mike Walsh Show, various incarnations of Midday, and as a regular panellist on the long-running chat show Beauty And The Beast.
Her quirky persona won Jeannie a Gold Logie award in 1976 for her work on the Mike Walsh Show.
Tragically, Jeannie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2009 and is currently being cared for in a nursing home.
Appearing on The Morning Show recently, Jeannie’s daughter Katie revealed the extent of her mother’s condition.
‘She’s OK, the only blessing is she doesn’t know what’s going on so she just kind of lies there a lot now and sort of drifts in and out of sleep,’ Katie said of Jeanne’s eight-year battle with Alzheimer’s.
‘I do think, ”God it’s such a horrible illness”, it just goes on and on and on and you think, ”Gosh, this is going to go on for years and years and years”.’
Brian Bury: Today show weatherman
Fun guy: Brian Bury, the madcap weatherman on Channel Nine’s Today show, was known as much for his colourful bow ties as he was for his quirky wit
Unimaginable tragedy: Appearing on Studio 10 in 2015, Brian revealed that his granddaughter Natasha had committed suicide that year, aged just 15
Brian Bury, the madcap weatherman on Channel Nine’s Today show, was known as much for his colourful bow ties as he was for his quirky wit.
The legendary weather prophet’s tenure on the show was formidable, standing in front of synoptic charts from 1982 to 1991.
Post-Today, Brian also popped up on the Ten and Seven networks before stepping out of the game completely.
Appearing on Studio 10 in 2015, Brian revealed that his granddaughter Natasha had committed suicide that year, aged just 15.
‘I think of the words from [stage musical] South Pacific,’ Brian said, trying to rationalise the tragedy.
‘Who can explain it? Who can tell you why? Fools give you reasons, wise men never try.’
Kerri-Anne Kennerley: The Midday Show
Beloved: As a host of the first iteration of Good Morning Australia, from 1981 to 1991, and the Midday Show, from 1996 to 1998, Kerri-Anne’s daytime credentials are well founded
Shock: Her life was rocked by tragedy in 2016, when her husband John was left an ‘incomplete quadraplegic’ after he fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae after falling from a balcony
If Bert Newton was the King Of Daytime Television, Kerri-Anne Kennerley was definitely the Queen.
As a host of the first iteration of Good Morning Australia, from 1981 to 1991, and the Midday Show, from 1996 to 1998, Kerri-Anne’s daytime credentials are well founded.
Kerri-Anne is still a fixture on Australian TV, popping up as a panellist on The Project, a fill-in presenter on Channel Seven’s Morning Show and as a contestant on the 2013 season of Dancing With The Stars.
Her life was rocked by tragedy in 2016, when her husband John was left an ‘incomplete quadraplegic’ after he fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae after falling from a balcony at a Coffs Harbour golf club.
Speaking to New Idea in June, Kerri-Anne said her and John were staying positive.
‘Oh he’s amazing, just amazing,’ she told the publication. ‘I think anybody in our position that didn’t say they hated it would need some psychiatric help! But you deal with it, you know. You just deal with it ‘
Mike Walsh: The Mike Walsh Show
Long tenure: Already a respected DJ for radio station 2SM before he dipped his toe into the daytime television waters, Mike fronted The Mike Walsh Show from 1973 to 1985
Theatrical: Mike had always been passionate about theatre and currently owns Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Hayden Orpheum in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne
Already a respected DJ for radio station 2SM before he dipped his toe into the daytime television waters, Mike fronted The Mike Walsh Show from 1973 to 1985.
The popular program won an astonishing 24 Logies during its tenure as well as a Gold for Mike, who was also honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980 and a Member of the Order Of Australia (OA) in 2016.
Mike had always been passionate about theatre and currently owns Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Hayden Orpheum in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne.
He has also worked as a theatrical producer, lending his talents to productions such as A Chorus Line, Nunsense, Anything Goes, and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in both Australia and London’s West End.
Jessica Rowe: Today
Affable: Jessica Rowe took Tracy Grimshaw’s chair on the Today show, sitting alongside Karl Stefanovic from 2006 to 2007, having defected from Network Ten
Speaking up: Jessica, who currently hosts Network Ten’s Studio 10, has been vocal about her struggles with post-natal depression following the birth of daughter Allegra
Jessica Rowe took Tracy Grimshaw’s chair on the Today show, sitting alongside Karl Stefanovic from 2006 to 2007, having defected from Network Ten where she had presented the Ten News At Five bulletin.
News.com.au reported in 2007 that Jessica quit the show after a pay dispute.
She was also the subject of some controversy when then Nine CEO Eddie Maguire reportedly said that he wanted to ‘bone’ the presenter
Married to fellow television personality Peter Overton, Jessica has two children Allegra, 10, and Giselle, eight.
Jessica, who currently hosts Network Ten’s Studio 10, has been vocal about her struggles with post-natal depression following the birth of Allegra.
Speaking on Studio 10 in 2015, Jessica revealed her struggles while talking about her memoir This Is My Beautiful Life?
‘I wasn’t sleeping and I started to fixate on certain items around the house,’ she explained, adding: ‘I used to think about the silver clock which I used to time the breastfeed on.
‘I used to think about what that clock could do to Allegra and how it could crush her skull. That was so frightening. I used to think about the carving knife in our top kitchen drawer and how easily it could pierce her skin.’
Patrice Newell: Today
Varied career: Patrice Newell worked as a model in the US before taking up news reporting and presenting duties on Channel Seven and SBS
Tree change: Patrice, who is married to journalist Philip Adams, gave up her high profile media career to run a 10,000-acre beef cattle property in the New South Wales Upper Hunter Valley
Patrice Newell worked as a model in the US before taking up news reporting and presenting duties on Channel Seven and SBS.
She joined the cast of Today in 1986 after the departure of Sue Kellaway, sitting alongside co-host Steve Liebmann for one year.
Patrice, who is married to veteran journalist Philip Adams, gave up her high profile media career to run a 10,000-acre beef cattle property in the New South Wales Upper Hunter Valley.
Patrice is also a passionate advocate for biodynamic agriculture, having penned four books on the subject.
She also ran for a seat on the New South Wales Legislative Council in the 2007 state election, and was the lead candidate on the New South Wales senate group ticket for the Climate Change Coalition in the 2007 federal election.
Nicky Buckley: Good Morning Australia/Today
Mums and bubs: Nicky Buckley was the parenting correspondent for the Bert Newton-helmed Good Morning Australia as well as Today
Nicky Buckley was the parenting correspondent for the Bert Newton-helmed Good Morning Australia as well as Today.
Nicky was also well known as a co-host of the popular game show Sale Of The Century and also filled on for Kerri-Anne on her titular show as well as Sonia Kruger on Mornings.
The affable presenter penned a memoir in 2015 and now spends much of her time doing corporate MC-ing gigs as well as being mother to three children – Cooper, Baxter and Nicky – who she shares with husband Murray Bingham.
Doting: The affable presenter penned a memoir in 2015 and now spends much of her time doing corporate MC-ing gigs as well as being mother to three children – Cooper, Baxter and Nicky – who she shares with husband Murray Bingham