From former Olympic athlete to the brand new host of the primary breakfast present in Australia, Matt Shirvington’s rise to the highest of Australia’s TV ranks would’ve been unthinkable just a few quick years in the past.
In 2014, Shirvington’s title was merely gossiped about amongst a flurry of choices to take over from Ben Fordham as sports activities reporter on Nine’s Today present. Ultimately, he was neglected in favour of Tim Gilbert.
Flash ahead to now, and the dash champion of the late 90s and 2000s has been named as David Koch’s alternative on Sunrise, which was introduced on-air Monday morning.
Shirvington, becoming a member of Koch and co-host Natalie Barr on the sofa right now, admitted he had “mixed emotions” about taking on.
“Just amazing. Daunted. So excited. Happy. I cannot tell you the honour and privilege this is, a huge job – and an exciting job,” Shirvington mentioned..
“You are absolutely perfect for us…. You’ve been filling in every Friday, it’s been sensational, you are going to be sensational,” Koch advised him. “You are going to be the perfect fit.”
It’s a full circle second for Shirvington, 44, who started his media profession with the Seven Network in 2005 as a presenter for the defunct science present Beyond Tomorrow.
Outside of his profession, Shirvington has constructed an equally profitable private life.
He has been married to spouse Jessica for over 20 years, the pair having first met after they had been each 17.
Jessica, additionally 44, is a profitable younger grownup creator, finest identified for her e book sequence Embrace, and can be outstanding within the hospitality area as managing director of up-market Mosman restaurant, Bathers Pavilion.
Matt and Jessica married in 2001 at St Marys Church in North Sydney.
They share three younger youngsters: Teen daughters Sienna and Winter, and give-year-old son, Lincoln.
The Shirvington’s have invested properly in property through the years, and are based mostly at their $12.5 million household dwelling in Sydney’s prosperous Mosman, which they purchased for $7 million in 2017.
They quietly listed the house – which has harbour views – earlier this 12 months for a second time, nonetheless it’s understood it’s but to be offered.
They had beforehand owned one other dwelling in Mosman, which they offered in 2016 for $4.15 million.
More lately, they flipped a heritage-listed mansion in Killara. They paid $11.2 million for the property in May final 12 months, earlier than promoting it just a few months later for $11.6 million after present process renovations, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Prior to becoming a member of Seven in 2020, and following his retirement from skilled sport in 2008, Shirvington loved a 10-year profession with Foxtel, becoming a member of Sky News in 2010 the place he delivered his first ever dwell news learn, earlier than ultimately changing into a pivotal a part of Fox Sports’ NRL protection.
Speaking on the funeral of Australian TV govt Brian Walsh in April, Shirvington revealed the late Foxtel boss was the one that took a punt on him post-retirement.
“He helped me get into the TV game after I retired. He took me to Sky News saying I would learn everything there. He got me to read the sport,” Shirvington revealed.
“I called him after my first read which was terrible – maybe I still am – he said not worry that could all be fixed.”
An business supply tells news.com.au that in his later years at Fox Sports, Shirvington felt his profession wasn’t progressing so he made the selection to signal with Seven as a sport reporter in 2020.
TV Tonight editor David Knox describes this determination as a masterstroke.
“Leaving Foxtel was one of his smartest plays, with Seven News bosses Craig McPherson and Jason Morrison, backing him in sports news roles,” Knox tells news.com.au
“He’s long been seen as Kochie’s successor, effectively auditioning long term in Sunrise broadcasts, including rolling coverage on events such as the [Donald] Trump Indictment.
“He’s one of TV’s nice guys, having worked very hard to cultivate a media career, post-sports, embracing opportunities, learning from those around him, being respectful of executives and courteous to press.”
Three years into his Channel 7 contract, which started with him working as a sports activities presenter in Sydney on weekends, Shirvington has certainly branched out from specializing in simply sport, having hosted a number of actuality exhibits, together with Holey Moley and Ultimate Tag, and most notably, has been the go-to fill-in for Koch on Sunrise for no less than two years.
TV Blackbox editor Robert McKnight speculates Koch’s personal determination to depart the breakfast present final 12 months – which was in the end pushed out one other six months after pleas from executives – was to permit Shirvington extra time to arrange for the function.
“I have no doubt this was to allow Shirvo more time to build up his credentials,” McKnight says.
“It makes sense. If someone comes out of left-field, Seven runs the risk of having to build a new identity and hope they have chemistry with [co-host] Natalie Barr – chemistry is the key ingredient at breakfast.
“We’ve seen what happens when hosts don’t have chemistry – ratings go down and there are the inevitable stories of ‘tensions on set’.”
McKnight says the place Sunrise excels over Today – frequently beating its rival within the scores – is the community’s thought of method to drip-feeding potential hosts to viewers, which they’ve performed with Shirvington in current months.
“Seven has a great ability to transition from one host to the next. Samantha Armytage had been a consistent fill-in for Melissa Doyle before assuming the role, and Nat had been there from the beginning,” he says.
“This allows the audience to accept evolutionary change. If you look at the Today show, the changes have been erratic.
“Who would be the likely replacement for Karl Stefanovic? I have no idea to be honest, but Shirvo seems the most likely replacement for David Koch as he has been his go-to fill-in.
“While there are others in the network who have sat in Kochie’s chair, Matt has been given the time to get used to the role and audiences have been given the chance to get used to him.”
Koch and Shirvington’s backgrounds couldn’t be extra completely different.
Koch, now 67, was a outstanding finance journalist earlier than Seven took of venture on him in 2002, whereas Shirvington spent a lot of his earlier years devoted to dash coaching earlier than embarking on a largely-sport centered broadcast profession.
But extra athletes are nudging their means into the news media fold, with ABC’s Tony Armstrong proving extremely common amongst viewers, slicing by way of a historically stuffy format with extra relaxed power.
“Athletes often have nothing to prove and can therefore be relaxed and personable, but that could be said for anyone from any field – the problem is finding those rare gems who come alive on the screen,” McKnight says, including Koch was a pioneer in livening up the breakfast TV sport within the first place.
“Athletes build their brands by showcasing their extraordinary skills in their chosen fields. Many are given the opportunity to progress their careers in television and radio because they are a ‘name’.
“The ‘name’ factor only goes so far though. If they don’t have the skills they can lose those opportunities very quickly.
“Shirvo has a natural ability but he’s also been given the opportunity to learn on the job and has developed a fantastic relationship with the camera and audience.”
Last Monday, Koch introduced to viewers he can be stepping down as Sunrise host after 21 years.
He mentioned it was time for the “next generation” to take over.
“I have decided to hang up the boots as co-host of Sunrise. After nearly 21 years and over 5300 shows, 16,000 hours of TV, it is now time to work in business hours and have a bit of flexibility to focus more on our big family and the family business. And frankly, my football club as well (Koch is Chairman of the Port Adelaide Football Club),” he mentioned.
“So after 20 consecutive premierships in the breakfast TV ratings game, I’m frankly finding it harder to get off the ground to take those marks and I think it’s time to bring in the next generation.”
His ultimate present shall be this coming Friday.
Originally revealed as Inside Matt Shirvington’s rise in TV, vibrant life as former athlete lands Sunrise host job
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
