Weather reporter Natalia Cooper is the latest star to depart the Today show.
A spokesperson for the Nine Network revealed that it was the 35-year-old’s decision to depart the show, which has faced a string of high profile departures since December.
“Natalia is going back into news at her request because weather on Today doesn’t work with a new baby but news has a different level of flexibility for working mums,” the spokesman told Daily Telegraph’s Confidential.
Natalia gave birth to her first child – a son, Ezra – on January 28.
But while the network insists the move was Natalia’s decision, insiders claim otherwise.
“When Natalia left she very much wanted to come back to the role. Her little son Ezra, is just one-week-old, she was so set on returning to the show when she left, it seems unusual that she would have changed her mind just days into motherhood,” a source told Confidential.
“This was another change in the new-look show. With three women already on the panel, another male was needed.”
The Today show shakeup began in December when Karl Stefanovic was replaced with Deborah Knight. Sports reporter Tim Gilbert was replaced by Tony Jones, while Tom Steinfort was brought in to take over newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys’ role. Triple J journalist Brooke Boney also joined the show as the new entertainment reporter.
