Sarah Abo has officially announced she is quitting the Today show and Channel Nine.
The TV presenter, 39, is currently on maternity leave after welcoming her baby boy, Sonny, but won’t be returning to the show.
Speculation had been mounting about her future on the show after Karl Stefanovic’s departure, and now, she has confirmed her exit.
“Words can’t express how grateful I am to our viewers for letting me into your homes to be part of your morning routine. Without you, there is no Today show,” she said in a statement.
“Together with 60 Minutes, I’ve spent my time at Nine chasing stories, travelling and reporting from all over the world, interviewing some incredible and inspiring people from all walks of life.
Sarah said she is enjoying the new chapter with her husband, Cyrus Moran, parenting their newborn son, Sonny, and will “miss” all her colleagues “dearly”.
“Becoming a mum has heralded a new chapter and sharing that with our audience has been truly special. As many of you know, this has been a significant journey for my family and will continue to be my greatest achievement,” she continued.
“I’d like to thank the wider Today team – the amazing crew, incredible producers and my wonderful fellow hosts – you all know how much you mean to me.
“It takes a special kind of crazy to wake up at the hours we do but it’s so much easier when the team feels like family. I’ll miss you all dearly.”
While Sarah lives in Sydney when she is hosting Today, she considers Melbourne to be her true home. With her exit from Nine, it could be that she will now move back to Victoria permanently.
Sarah has worked with Nine since 2019 and joined Today as co-host in 2023. Her replacement has not yet been announced, but all eyes are pointing to Samantha Armytage, who has stood in for Sarah during her maternity leave.
Nine Executive Director of News and Current Affairs, Fiona Dear, said of Sarah’s exit: “Sarah has been an integral part of the Today team, bringing warmth, energy and first-class journalism to the program each morning.
“It takes enormous skill to front three-and-a-half hours of live television every day, and Sarah did it with sharp journalistic instincts. We thank her for everything she brought to Today, and wish Sarah and her family all the very best.”
Today is now facing replacing both of its permanent hosts after Karl was sacked following his controversial podcast interview with far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Karl was let go months before his contract was due to end at the end of the year. Sarah’s will expire at the same time.
Karl’s replacement has also not been revealed, but Michael “Wippa” Wipfli, David Campbell and Clint Stanaway have all been touted as frontrunners.
