Radio National Breakfast
| Company type | Radio program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Australia , Australia |
| Products | Early morning news broadcast |
| Website | www |
Radio National Breakfast, commonly referred to simply as Breakfast, is an Australian early morning news broadcast that has been airing since 2005 on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National network. It is transmitted live in the eastern states and delayed in other regions, with an option for online streaming.
The show was initially presented by Peter Thompson from 1994 through 2004. Following this, Fran Kelly took over hosting duties from 2005 until her retirement in 2021. Patricia Karvelas then succeeded Kelly and served as host until 2024, after which Sally Sara assumed the role starting mid-December 2024.
History
Peter Thompson began his tenure as host in 1994, with a hiatus between 1999 and 2002, before stepping down in 2004 due to workload concerns. In March 2005, Fran Kelly became the program’s presenter and continued for 17 years until October 2021 when she retired. Patricia Karvelas was named Kelly’s replacement in December 2021. The broadcast is divided into two segments—6:00 to 7:00 am and 7:30 to 9:00 am—separated by the current affairs program AM at 7:00 am. Because Karvelas also hosts Q+A, either Sally Sara or Steve Cannane presents on Mondays, while Karvelas hosts Tuesday through Friday.
In November 2024, the ABC announced that Karvelas would step down in December, with Sally Sara taking over hosting responsibilities from January 2025. Karvelas will broaden her involvement across various ABC platforms.
A weekend edition titled Saturday Extra is presented by journalist Geraldine Doogue and airs from 7:30 to 9:00 am AEST.
The program officially kicks off at 6:05 am following hourly state-based news bulletins introduced by the iconic "Majestic Fanfare" theme. Each hour features approximately four segments—longer reports are scheduled earlier—with contributions from ABC correspondents, international outlets such as the BBC and CNN, as well as interviews with politicians, commentators, celebrities, and individuals relevant to current affairs.
At 7:10 am, following the 7:00 news update, Breakfast hands over to AM, which runs until 7:30 am before Breakfast resumes its broadcast.
Hosts
The program has been hosted by:
- Peter Thompson, January 1994 – December 1999, January 2003 – December 2004
- Vivian Schenker, January 2000 – December 2002
- Fran Kelly, March 2005 – December 2021
- Patricia Karvelas, January 2022 – December 2024
- Sally Sara, January 2025 – present
- Geraldine Doogue, weekend and substitute host
- Norman Swan, substitute host
Contributors
Frequent contributors include:
- Luke Siddham Dundon – Newsreader
- Melissa Clarke – Political correspondent
- Peter Ryan – Business correspondent
Recognition and acclaim
Radio National Breakfast stands as one of Australia's premier early morning programs nationwide, drawing a substantial audience despite lower ratings relative to certain state and local broadcasts. It holds significant influence among federal politicians; notably, former Prime Minister John Howard was an avid listener who regularly participated in interviews.
See also
- Today (UK counterpart)
- Morning Ireland (Ireland counterpart)
- Morning Edition (US counterpart)