“Of course, I agree,” laughs Tristan. “There’s never been any pretence. There are no expectations between us about what we need to say or who we need to please … it’s all a pleasure,” he says.
The duo, who have worked together since last September, are happy to admit they are very much a part of each other’s lives both on- and off-screen.
“I go to Tristan’s house and take the kids – they’re the same age – we’re in the same sort of space in life,” says Sarah, whose boys, Paul, 5, and Harry, 3, are close with Tristan’s kids, daughter Echo, 5, son Oisin, 2, and 2-month-old baby boy, Tadhg.
It’s a refreshing admission for a breakfast TV duo, particularly following Sunrise’s Natalie Barr’s headline-making comments about not being close to her former co-worker, Samantha Armytage, outside the office.
“Look, we don’t go out and rage or anything like that,” laughs Tristan, “but we genuinely enjoy each other’s company.
“Sometimes you might need a break, but we like to be around each other. That said, I might get out with [co-star] Ange Bishop,” Tristan jokes.
“Oh, now she is fun, I’ve been to many Logies [Awards] and Melbourne Cups with Ange,” says Sarah. “She knows her limits, she’s smart and she’s the last to leave, but she is always the tidiest!”
When asked about the success and appeal of their beloved Studio 10, Tristan and Sarah both agree it’s the reliability that keeps people tuning in.
“We have a wide range of panellists – some have gone and some come back, but that’s what makes us different. We don’t all have the same opinions and we’re coming from different sides,” explains Sarah, who says the show’s viewers are unlike any other.
“They’re the most loyal and lovely people. Certainly, when I went through my pregnancies, I had viewers knitting me booties and hats – they’re invested!”
Meanwhile, Tristan says the program’s success is due to viewers’ open-mindedness when it comes to the tougher topics, something the COVID-19 pandemic has made inescapable.
"We don’t ever tell people what to think,” he says. “I think people always appreciate that.”
As for the future, the duo both admit they’re hoping for another 2000 episodes.
“We have to see this through,” says Sarah. “We can’t wait for 10,000 episodes – we’ve got so much more to give!”
Read more in this weeks New Idea, on sale now.
