Frontrunner to replace Sarah Abo as Today show host prepares for maternity leave

Jayne Azzopardi is shaping as the surprise favourite to take over Sarah Abo's chair on Today while the breakfast star takes maternity leave later this year.

As reported by news.com.au, sources claim Nine executives have been quietly weighing up several internal candidates before landing on the show's longtime newsreader as the preferred option to sit alongside Karl Stefanovic.

Insiders say the decision is being driven by both optics and cost.

Although Sylvia Jeffreys has long been considered one of the network's brightest stars, bosses are believed to have reservations about placing her opposite Stefanovic full-time given their family connection off-screen.

The Today Extra host is married to Karl's brother Peter Stefanovic, and executives reportedly fear the pairing could blur the lines between the wider Stefanovic brand and the network's flagship breakfast program.

There are also reportedly financial realities influencing the discussions.

Jeffreys is understood to be on a substantially larger salary than Azzopardi, making the experienced newsreader a more practical choice.

Meanwhile, Samantha Armytage is said to be unlikely to secure anything beyond a temporary cameo on Today, potentially linked to promoting the upcoming return of The Golden Bachelor later this year.

Sources claim Nine remains cautious about giving Armytage a larger ongoing role due to the hefty price tag attached to the former Sunrise star, coupled with the underwhelming ratings delivered by several programs she has hosted since arriving at the network.

Jayne has served as Today's newsreader since 2024 and previously been a co-host and news presenter of Weekend Today and reporter for Nine News Sydney.

Sarah, who is expecting her first child with her husband Cyrus Moran, will begin her maternity leave within the next few months. 

The Today show star, 40, broke down in tears when she announced her pregnancy news on the breakfast show in March. 

'I'm going to try and fail to maintain my composure. But yes, Cyrus and I are expecting a little baby,' she said.

'I know, it's obviously very happy news and everything... It hasn't been the easiest journey to get here, which a lot of people I know have gone through and will go through.

'It's not as easy as you sometimes think that pregnancy will be.

'So, it has been a bit of a bumpy ride, but here we are. And yes, it's getting harder to hide. As much as I'd like to bury my head in the sand and not address it, I think, yeah, we're almost halfway now.'

Sarah's co-host Karl Stefanovic also became teary as he shared his best wishes for the expectant couple.

'I work next to you every day, and I know you had some dramas, right? And last year you had so much crap in the newspapers, and it was around that time, and you didn't tell anyone,' he said.

'You came to work, and your strength and courage during that was unbelievable. You fought that on your own with only a couple of people knowing.'

Shortly after the segment aired, Sarah took to Instagram to reflect on her happy news, uploading a photo of herself posing with her bump on display in a sheer long-sleeved top.

'Well, I can't keep trying to hide under a rock..! Yes, there is a baby in there. It's our happy news after a bit of a bumpy ride,' she wrote.