Sunrise viewers were scratching their heads on Tuesday morning after presenter Natalie Barr mysteriously disappeared from the show.
She snuck out of the studio while her co-host David “Kochie” Koch read the 8 o’clock newscast and was replaced by stand-in host Monique Wright.
When the cameras returned to the news desk at 8:01 a.m., the voiceover greeted “Kochie and Nat,” but Monique was sitting in her chair.
‘Good morning! Back now for our 8 o’clock hour on Sunrise. Thank you for joining us,” said a cheerful Monique.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Kochie asked her.
As the team laughed at the sudden move to the panel, Monique joked, “Nat just coughed up and I happened to be under the couch.”
Kochie then explained why Natalie was forced to make a quick exit, revealing that she had just received an “exclusive interview” and had a flight to catch.
‘She’s racing to the airport as we speak. We’ll bring it to you tomorrow,’ he said.
“Meanwhile, Monique will preside for the rest of the morning.”
Sunrise viewers were scratching their heads Tuesday morning after presenter Natalie Barr (left, with David “Kochie” Koch) mysteriously disappeared from the show
No further details were given about Natalie’s upcoming interview.
Her sudden exit from the show on Tuesday follows news that Kochie is planning his retirement.
Already in October he signed for another two years with Seven.
He agreed to a contact extension that jailed him until the end of 2024, but was negotiating “greater flexibility” in his schedule.
He signed the deal Oct. 19 at a meeting with Seven Network CEO James Warburton, where he expressed his interest in stepping down.
She snuck out of the studio while Kochie (right) read the 8am newscast and was replaced by presenter Monique Wright (left).
Warburton was able to persuade him to postpone his retirement plans for another two years, but agreed to a deal that would allow the longtime presenter “to take more breaks from the show as needed,” reported The Australian.
This is in addition to Kochie’s already relaxed work schedule, which sees him hosting Sunrise four days a week and taking Fridays off.
Kerry Stokes, the billionaire chairman of the Seven Network, is said to have played a “key role” in Kochie’s contract renegotiations.
With Kochie being given more “flexibility” with his schedule, he hopes to be able to spend more time with his wife Libby and focus on his Ausbiz TV and Pinstripe Media businesses.
Kochie is planning his retirement but in October committed to staying on Channel Seven’s breakfast show for at least two more years on a flexible schedule. (He’s seen here at the 2019 Logie Awards with Samantha Armytage, Natalie Barr and Mark Beretta)
“I’m grateful to James and Kerry Stokes for going about it this way,” he said.
“I spoke to the two at length and they asked me if there was a way to develop a plan that would give them the flexibility they wanted, a connection to the network and a continued focus on Sunrise. i love it very much So I’m really lucky to have the best of all worlds.”
News of Kochie’s two-year contract extension came after sources told Chron Australia he was seriously considering retiring but was persuaded to stay by the prospect of covering the coronation of King Charles at Westminster Abbey in May.
Seven bosses, meanwhile, are understandably keen for him to stay at Sunrise, which he began hosting as a stand-in in 2002.
Since then, the show has nearly slaughtered Nine Rivale Today, winning every rating year since 2004 and every week since 2018 in the Five Cities Market.
Kochie (pictured with former host Mel Doyle) helped Sunrise butcher the show Nine’s Today, which has won ratings every year since 2004 and every week in the market since 2018