TVNZ has today announced a major shake-up of the presenting teams for two of its flagship news and current affairs shows.
Hayley Holt is set to join Jack Tame on Breakfast every weekday morning, while Hilary Barry moves to the 7pm slot on Seven Sharp.
Holt took to Instagram to announce her appointment to her close to 14,000 followers.
The changes come after Mike Hosking and Toni Street decided to leave Seven Sharp at the end of last year.
Barry’s co-presenter on the evening show, which is set to return to air on TVNZ1 in February, has yet to be confirmed.
Holt, 36, stood for the Green Party in John Key’s Helensville electorate in last September’s general election. At 17th on the party list, she missed out on a place in Parliament.
A former New Zealand snowboarder, she previously hosted alternative sports news show The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime and the breakfast radio show on More FM.
Holt said she’s “excited” to be joining the Breakfast team.
“I’ve watched the programme for years and it feels slightly surreal to know I’ll be hosting the show alongside Jack in a week’s time,” Holt said.
“I hope he knows what he’s in for!”
Holt has previously revealed her battle with alcoholism.
She told her story as part of an investigation into binge-drinking among young New Zealanders, especially women.
She has been sober for three years, but still regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings.
Twitter users were quick to voice their opinions on Holt’s appointment, especially given her political leanings:
What the fuck is TVNZ thinking?
How on earth can a @NZGreens candidate be seen as anything but politically biased?
What a riciculous appointment.@nzheraldhttps://t.co/YJ7gQbI4Ky— TrueReckons (@Sherida7William) January 14, 2018
@1news Hiring a recent political candidate as a presenter would be ok if you were a private company. As a taxpayer funded enterprise it it TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. https://t.co/cG6rt039rt#SellTVNZNow@clarecurranmp
— Mark Thomson (@markmthomson) January 14, 2018
Others were more willing to give Holt a chance:
I’d rather have Hayley Holt as a journalist with a political stance (like most people) than the journalists who try and pull that ‘I am above politics and don’t even vote’ sanctimonious act.
— Ar͜chi͡e (@ArcherAusten) January 14, 2018
Like everything we need diversity in all formats go Hayley Holt look forward to it.
— Brent Baigent (@Baigy56) January 14, 2018
Source: TVNZ
