After five years at the desk, Brooke Boney had her official last day on The Today Show this morning, Friday August 16th.
Joined on the couch by the whole team and her mum Leonie, Brooke fought back tears as everyone shared kinds words and she received her leaving gifts.
“We love you and everything you represent,” Today co-host Karl Stefanovic shared.
“I think the last two weeks in the Olympics demonstrated, how much range you have, how much immediate connection you have with anyone you walk along the street with.”
Today co-host Sarah Abo also shared a kind message to the Entertainment and News Reporter.
“Thank you, Brooke, for everything you’ve done for us,” Sarah shared.
“Very few people know what it’s actually like to wake up at an ungodly hour and be ready to present 3.5 hours of live television to an audience.”
Brooke shared she was feeling quite overwhelmed by all the love and support and shared a beautiful final message to the team and Today audience.
“I’m so grateful for every opportunity that I’ve been given here, I’ve done things I never dreamed possible, for someone like me, I grew up in housing commission, so this is really beyond my wildest dreams,” Brooke shared.
“I mean, I just spent a month at the Olympics. I’ve been to the Oscars, all around the world to do things that most people don’t get to do. As a young person, I didn’t see much of a future for myself beyond what my little imagination could conjure up and because of the labour of my mum and my grandparents, who are back in Musswellbrook, it wasn’t as bleak as it could have been.
“And I just want to say my good fortune has been hard won by those who came before me, but it’s not just luck, it’s hard work on my part as well, it’s a combination of all of those things and I’m just eternally grateful.”
Her replacement as Today news presenter and entertainment reporter was announced on July 17th, 2024.
Current Weekend Today co-host Jayne Azzopardi will take over Brooke’s news presenting and celebrity interviewer Renee Bargh will take over Brooke’s entertainment reporting, which she did alongside long-serving entertainment editor Richard Wilkins.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jayne Azzopardi, one of Nine’s most accomplished journalists, to Today in the news chair,” Steven Burling, Nine’s director of morning television, said of the announcement.
“Jayne has covered politics in Canberra, reported on major news events, and co-hosted Weekend Today.
“Joining her is Renee Bargh, known for her career at Channel [V] and as a correspondent for EXTRA in LA, to cover the entertainment round alongside Dickie.
“We’re privileged to have Jayne and Renee join our team at Today.”
Brooke first announced she would leave the Today show on March 22.
During that morning’s episode, Brooke shared the exciting news that she’s planning to study at Oxford University but to do so, she’ll have to wrap up her time on Today in August.
“Guys, I have some very big news for you this morning. I’ve been offered a place at Oxford University later this year, which means I’ll be leaving the show after the Olympics,” Brooke said live on-air.
“It’s been a dream of mine to be able to study at an overseas university, and it just felt like the right time to take that step,” she continued.
“I’m so grateful to come in here every day and I love you all so much. So it’s made the decision really difficult. But it just means that you’ll all have to plan trips to the UK to come and visit.”
Brooke also revealed that she’ll be studying a Masters of Public Policy at Oxford because that’s what “fits best” with her journalistic career thus far.
She also said she’d love to potentially come back and work for Channel Nine once she’s finished her studies.
“I thought if I don’t do this now, then I’m probably never going to. I am at that age where if I leave now and go and study and come back, I’ll still only be 38… That still leaves plenty of time to sort of carve out the next part of what my career is,” Brooke said.
“I’d love to be able to come back and still do things with Nine and figure out what that looks like.”
Brooke has worked on the Today show since December 2018. At that time, she was appointed as the show’s entertainment reporter, working alongside Richard.
Then in January 2023, Brooke replaced Alex Cullen as Today’s news presenter.
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