Weekend Sunrise
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting, Television |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Monique Wright (Co-host), David Woiwod (Co-host & Sports Presenter) |
| Products | Breakfast television program |
| Website | 7plus |
Weekend Sunrise is a breakfast television program in Australia aired on the Seven Network, currently anchored by Monique Wright and David Woiwod.
History
In 2005, the Seven Network discontinued its underperforming Sunday morning show Sunday Sunrise and introduced Weekend Sunrise, initially a one-hour broadcast from 8 am to 9 am, hosted by Chris Reason alongside Lisa Wilkinson. The program's positive reception prompted calls for an extension to two hours and the addition of a Saturday edition. Adam Boland, overseeing Morning TV, intended to establish a weekend presence, but news director Peter Meakin recommended launching with Sundays first, considering typical family commitments on Saturdays.
By 2006, Weekend Sunrise expanded its Sunday timeslot to two hours (8 am – 10 am). During the football season, the show was shortened to 90 minutes (8:00 am – 9:30 am) to accommodate Sportsworld, then resumed the full two-hour format afterward. That year, Andrew O'Keefe temporarily replaced Reason and was later appointed permanent host due to improved audience figures. Wilkinson departed in 2007 to join Nine Network's Today, with Samantha Armytage stepping into her role. In 2008, the start time shifted earlier to 7:30 am, extending the broadcast duration to two and a half hours until 10:00 am.
In response to Nine's Weekend Today debuting at 7:00 am in 2009, Seven adjusted Weekend Sunrise to a three-hour slot from 7:00 am to 10:00 am, aligning it with the weekday Sunrise runtime.
On 13 February 2010, Seven introduced a Saturday edition airing from 7:00 am to 10:00 am as direct competition to Weekend Today. The initial Saturday hosting team included Armytage and Larry Emdur, with Sarah Cumming delivering news updates, Simon Reeve covering sports, and James Tobin presenting weather segments. The former occupant of this timeslot, Saturday Disney, was relocated in 2012 to 7Two.
Adam Boland returned as executive producer in November 2011 and implemented format changes featuring new segments and regular contributors. Although technical difficulties delayed the relaunch, it proceeded shortly thereafter.
In September 2012, the Saturday broadcast was extended to three hours. Boland departed Seven in February 2013 and was succeeded by Michael Pell. June 2013 saw Melissa Doyle leave Sunrise for a national position; Armytage replaced her. Monique Wright initially substituted for Armytage on Weekend Sunrise before becoming a permanent co-host in February 2014.
Angela Cox filled in for Wright during maternity leave in February 2016, while Sally Bowrey joined as entertainment and social media correspondent. On 4 March 2016, Weekend Sunrise hosted a Parathon fundraiser supporting the 2016 Paralympic Games that featured television personalities and musical performances, raising over $1.6 million. Cox returned in December that year during Bowrey’s maternity leave; Bowrey resumed duties in July 2017.
After twelve years with the program, Andrew O'Keefe resigned in December 2017 and was succeeded by Basil Zempilas. Zempilas stepped down for family reasons in September 2019; Matt Doran took over as co-host from October.
Simon Reeve made his final appearance in May 2020 before being made redundant; he subsequently initiated legal action against Seven regarding his termination.
On 29 July 2023, production of Weekend Sunrise moved from Martin Place to South Eveleigh and introduced a refreshed logo.
In November 2024, Matt Doran announced his departure to prioritize family and pursue other ventures; his last broadcast was on 8 December. US Bureau Chief David Woiwod was appointed as his successor, debuting on-air on 14 December.
Format
Like Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise delivers a blend of news updates every thirty minutes, interviews, and lighter segments within a three-hour morning broadcast. Although it occasionally airs from various locations, this occurs less often compared to Sunrise.
News
Half-hourly national news bulletins are presented, followed by summaries of overnight sports and weather, closely following the structure established by Sunrise.
Hosts
| Presenter | Position | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Monique Wright | Co-host | 2013–present |
| David Woiwod | Co-host & Sports Presenter | 2024–present |
| Sally Bowrey | News Presenter | 2016–present |
| James Tobin | Weather Presenter | 2009–present |
Recent substitute hosts have included Sally Bowrey, Edwina Bartholomew, Michael Usher, Angela Cox, Mark Beretta, Liam Tapper, Gemma Acton, Blake Johnson, Natarsha Belling, and Chris Reason.
Substitute presenters categorized by role:
- News: Natarsha Belling, Liam Tapper, Teegan Dolling, Amber Laidler, Amelia Brace, Hugh Whitfeld
- Weather: Katie Brown, Sally Pearson, Sam Payne
Former hosts
| Presenter | Position | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Reason | Co-host | 2005 |
| Andrew O'Keefe | Co-host | 2005–2017 |
| Lisa Wilkinson | Co-host | 2005–2007 |
| Samantha Armytage | Co-host | 2007–2013 |
| Basil Zempilas | Co-host | 2018–2019 |
| Matt Doran | Co-host / Sports Presenter | 2019–2024 |
| Kylie Gillies | Sports Presenter | 2005–2007 |
| Ryan Phelan | Sports Presenter | 2014–2015 |
| Simon Reeve | News / Sports Presenter | 2005–2020 |
| Sharyn Ghidella | News Presenter | 2008–2010 |
| Jessica Rowe | News Presenter | 2010–2013 |
| Talitha Cummins | News Presenter | 2007–2008, 2013–2016 |
Distinguished past presenters include Chris Reason, Andrew O'Keefe, Basil Zempilas, Lisa Wilkinson, and Samantha Armytage. The original sports presenter, Kylie Gillies, later joined The Morning Show. Among news presenters were Talitha Cummins, who was replaced by Sally Bowrey during maternity leave, as well as Sharyn Ghidella and Jessica Rowe. Samantha Armytage moved from co-hosting Weekend Sunrise to becoming the main presenter on Sunrise. The sports segment has seen various changes with hosts such as Ryan Phelan and Simon Reeve returning following programming adjustments.
Regular contributors
| Contributor | Role | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Hargrave | UK/Entertainment Correspondent | 2013–present |
| Paul Marshall | Correspondent | 2014–present |
| Richard Arnold | UK Entertainment Correspondent | 2009–present |
| Jake Lyle | Sydney Reporter | 2024–present |
| Kristy Mayr | Melbourne Reporter | 2025–present |
| Nats Levi | Queensland Reporter | 2025–present |
| Jasmin Teurlings | Adelaide Reporter | 2025–present |
| Mark Riley | Chief Political Correspondent | 2005–present |
| Jabba | Film Critic | 2013–present |
| Sarah Di Lorenzo | Nutritionist | 2018–present |
| Jane Caro | Masters of Spin Panelist | 2011–present |
| Nick Cater | Masters of Spin Panelist | 2014–present |
| Meg Coffey | Masters of Spin Panelist | 2022–present |
| Adam Ferrier | Masters of Spin Panelist | 2014–present |
| Keith Suter | Foreign Affairs Analyst | 2005–present |
Broadcasting
Because Australia spans several time zones, Weekend Sunrise is broadcast with varying delays across different areas. Viewers in New South Wales (including the ACT), Victoria, and Tasmania receive the program live throughout the year. In Queensland, the show airs live during the winter months but is delayed by one hour when Sydney observes daylight saving time. The Northern Territory broadcasts the program with a 30-minute delay in winter and a 90-minute delay during Sydney's daylight saving period. South Australia consistently delays the show by half an hour, whereas Western Australia airs it with a two-hour delay in winter and a three-hour delay when Sydney is on daylight saving time.
Occasionally, special occasions lead to extended or modified broadcast schedules. For instance, on 17 July 2010, Weekend Sunrise extended its airtime until 1pm following Julia Gillard’s announcement of the federal election scheduled for August. Likewise, during the Victorian bushfires in February 2009, the program was prolonged until 11am to offer additional coverage.
Neither Sunrise nor Weekend Sunrise are broadcast on Christmas Day. Between 2007 and 2014, when the Seven Network held broadcasting rights for V8 Supercars, Weekend Sunrise was also preempted on Bathurst 1000 race days.
Theme song
Initially, Weekend Sunrise featured Duran Duran’s "(Reach Up for The) Sunrise" as its theme music until 2010, when it was replaced by MGMT’s "Electric Feel". The original theme was reinstated in November 2011.