At a glance…
- Nine has confirmed that Sarah Abo is leaving Today and the Nine Network.
- Sarah Abo is currently on maternity leave after giving birth to her first child, Sonny, in July 2026.
- The Today Show has had a tumultuous time of late with its hosts, as Sarah went on maternity leave weeks after Karl Stefanovic left the show and Sam Armytage joined the show temporarily.
In a surprising move this morning, Sarah Abo has shared that she is leaving her hosting gig at the Today Show and departing Nine Network at the end of 2026 to explore other opportunities.
Sarah started her maternity leave a little earlier than planned when her son Sonny was born at the end of July 2026. Following his earlier-than-expected arrival, Samantha Armytage was announced as a temporary replacement. She finished up her current stint at the start of the month.
Instead, Sylvia Jeffreys has been covering the co-host spot, and The Daily Telegraph is reporting that she will stay on as a permanent replacement. However, Sylvia recently revealed that she is expecting her third child with her husband, and brother of Karl Stefanovic, Peter Stefanovic.
A month after giving birth, Sarah appeared on the morning show in a segment to introduce her son to the world. Then, seven weeks after giving birth, Sarah made a surprise comeback to the network to fill in for Chrissie Swan, who was off sick.
“Words can’t express how grateful I am to our viewers for letting me into your homes to be part of your morning routine,” Sarah said in a statement. “Without you, there is no Today Show.
“Together with 60 Minutes, I’ve spent my time at Nine chasing stories, travelling and reporting from all over the world, interviewing some incredible and inspiring people from all walks of life. Becoming a mum has heralded a new chapter, and sharing that with our audience has been truly special. As many of you know, this has been a significant journey for my family and will continue to be my greatest achievement.
“I’d like to thank the wider Today team – the amazing crew, incredible producers and my wonderful fellow hosts – you all know how much you mean to me. It takes a special kind of crazy to wake up at the hours we do, but it’s so much easier when the team feels like family. I’ll miss you all dearly.”
Sarah joined Nine in 2019 as a reporter for 60 Minutes and then joined Today as a co-host alongside Karl Stefanovic in 2023.
In June 2026, Stefanovic interviewed British far-right activist Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) on The Karl Stefanovic Show, his independently produced podcast. The interview created significant controversy and put Nine in a difficult position because Karl was simultaneously one of the network’s Today hosts. In June 2026, Nine said it was no longer possible for him to host Today while running the podcast, bringing forward his planned departure from the network. The network hasn’t announced a permanent replacement for him. Tom Steinfort has been the main fill-in for Karl since his departure.
With the Nine Upfronts happening tomorrow, we will likely learn who is on the lineup for the Today Show soon!
