Sport presenter Danika Mason joins Today exodus. October 16, 2026 - 7:52am Article gifting is here Give anyone free access to subscriber-only stories when you subscribe. Sports presenter Danika Mason has joined the exodus from the Today show, announcing her departure from the program on Friday morning. "Bit of news from me... I'm going on maternity leave," Mason said on the show. "I've had to make the decision as to whether what I do when I come back next year... obviously juggling all my NRL commitments, [the] Today show, and then a new baby as well. The sport presenter is the fourth high-profile departure from the flagship Nine show since June. "Something had to give, so I've made a pretty tough decision... when I return next year, I won't be coming back to the show." Mason's announcement marks the fourth high-profile departure of Today presenters since June, when the network terminated media personality Karl Stefanovic's multimedia contract after an interview with far-right British activist Tommy Robinson. Last month, Stefanovic's former co-host, Sarah Abo, confirmed while she was on maternity leave that she was leaving the program, while weather presenter Tim Davies announced in August he would leave the show. Sylvia Jeffreys and Tom Steinfort were in September announced as the new hosts of Today. Mason is one of Nine's NRL and sports presenters and joined Today in May 2025, after beginning at Nine (also the owner of this masthead) in 2012. In July, Mason, who is married to former NRL prop Liam Knight, announced she was pregnant. The decision to leave the program was not easy, Mason said on air. "I've absolutely loved my time with everyone. We have the best audience, we have the best team, and it has been an absolute, just such a fun two years, and everyone who is in here in the morning, all our floor crew, you guys are just amazing, and I've had the best time," she said. From our partners. In February, Mason made international headlines and had to apologise for drinking before an awkward live cross from the Winter Olympics in Italy, during which she stumbled over her words. Mason's departure comes at a dire time for Nine's flagship breakfast program, which continues to lag Seven's Sunrise in the hard-fought timeslot. On Wednesday, Sunrise boasted a 421,000 total national average audience rating, while Today was well behind at 273,000. The appointments of Jeffreys and Steinfort followed an era of the show marked by a rotating roster of fill-in hosts. Jeffreys recently revealed she is pregnant with her third child and is likely to be on maternity leave for at least a few months early next year, which suggests the hosting shuffling will continue to some extent. Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday. Kayla Olaya is a culture reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email. THE AGE RECOMMENDS

Nine secures multi-year Athletics Australia broadcast deal. Published on: 4th October 2026 at 8:28 PM Jess Hull is on of the Aussie track superstars fans will be able to watch on Nine. Photo: Athletics Australia's Instagram. Nine has secured a seven-year broadcast partnership with Athletics Australia at the dawn of a golden era of athletics Down Under. The agreement will make Nine the home of Australian athletics from 2027 to at least the end 2033, taking the sport beyond the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and into one of the most significant periods in Australian sporting history. The deal will see Nine cover athletics events from the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, to the Australian Athletics Championships and the Olympic and Paralympic selection events on the road to Brisbane 2032. Australian athletes have had a golden year on the world stage, with superstars including Olympic silver medalist Jessica Hull, rising middle distance runner Cameron Myers; established star pole vaulters and Olympic champion Nina Kennedy and Kurtis Marschall; and high jump rivals and world leaders Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson. Perhaps the most notable rising stars are the Aussie sprint trio Gout Gout, Torrie Lewis and Lachlan Kennedy; the latter recently clocked a 9.85 second 00m sprint at the Commonwealth Games, making him the fastest Aussie in history. Nine said that the partnership, which aligns neatly with its Olympic and Paralympic broadcast deals, extends well beyond event coverage. It will use its unparalleled reach and 'Sofa to Street' proposition to deepen fandom and tell the stories of Australian athletics and its athletes across Nine's streaming, publishing and digital assets. The partnership will also include a dedicated preview show ahead of each Australian Athletics Championships and a feature-length documentary in the 2028 and 2032Olympic years. The agreement follows a competitive market process undertaken by Australian Athletics, with a clear ambition to secure more than a broadcaster. "This is a landmark day for athletics in Australia," Australian Athletics CEO Simon Hollingsworth said. "Our athletes are among the best in the world, and this partnership gives more Australians the opportunity to see them compete, get to know them and follow their journeys. "With the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics 2032 on the horizon, we wanted a partner that shared our ambition for the sport and was prepared to invest in building athletics over the long term. "Nine is not simply broadcasting our events, they are backing our athletes, telling their stories and helping us build a bigger audience for athletics across Australia." Nine director of sport Brent Williams said: "Australian Athletics is entering a golden era and we are thrilled to be on board such an epic ride through to Brisbane 2032 and beyond. Australia already boasts some of the most exciting athletes on the planet, with a great promise of more to come. We look forward to the journey, telling their stories and sharing their magical moments with all of Australia across the screens of Nine." Australian Athletics president Jane Flemming, a former Commonwealth Games heptathlon and long jump champion, said the partnership would create opportunities across every level of the sport. "We know our sport is something everyone relates to, running, jumping, walking and rolling, and now the entire community will get to connect to it in an ongoing and live nature," she said. "From our athletes competing on the world stage to the kids discovering athletics for the first time on a Saturday morning, visibility matters. "Seeing our athletes competing in Australian stadiums, live on national television, gives young Australians heroes to follow and something to aspire to." Australian Athletics events announced so far for the 2027 Chemist Warehouse Summer Series and Australian Athletics domestic season, will be shown live and free across the the 9Network and 9Now. February 13: Adelaide International, SA Athletics Stadium February 27: Maurie Plant Meet, Lakeside Stadium March 6: Sydney Track Classic, Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Stadium March 20: Hobart Track Classic, Domain Athletics Centre April 1-4: Australian Athletics Championships, Sydney Olympic Stadium Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.