Tom Steinfort’s latest Today test has delivered stronger ratings and positive viewer feedback. But next week comes another important change — Steinfort stays, while Samantha Armytage makes way for a very familiar Nine face.
Tom Steinfort appears to have strengthened his position in the race for a permanent role on Today after a promising week alongside Samantha Armytage — with both ratings and viewer reaction moving in his favour.
The Nine journalist, 41, was brought in as one of several presenters being tested following Karl Stefanovic’s departure, and his latest stint has reportedly impressed both audiences and figures inside the network.
But Nine is not settling on its final combination just yet.
Next week will bring another change at the breakfast desk, with Steinfort remaining in place while Today Extra co-host Sylvia Jeffreys steps in for Armytage as the network continues experimenting with different pairings.
Today Ratings Move Higher During Steinfort’s Week
The most encouraging sign for Steinfort came from the national ratings.
On Wednesday, Today attracted 756,000 viewers across Australia, compared with 696,000 on the previous Wednesday when Michael Willesee Jr was co-hosting.
The improvement continued on Thursday, when the Nine breakfast program drew 722,000 viewers — up from 686,000 the week before.
While those figures still leave Today behind Seven’s Sunrise, which attracted more than one million viewers nationally on both days, the week nevertheless gave Nine a positive indication as it searches for its next permanent breakfast combination.
Steinfort Emerges as a Strong Contender
Steinfort’s performance has also reportedly attracted positive feedback behind the scenes.
An industry source described the week as a more comfortable viewing experience and praised Steinfort’s work ethic and suitability for the role.
His familiarity with breakfast television may also work in his favour.
Steinfort previously served as Today’s newsreader during the Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner era in 2019 and has also co-hosted Weekend Today. More recently, he became a prominent reporter for 60 Minutes.
That experience meant his latest appearance behind the breakfast desk was far from unfamiliar territory.
Viewers Notice His Chemistry With Samantha Armytage
Reaction to Steinfort’s pairing with Armytage has also been largely encouraging in the feedback highlighted during the week.
Some viewers praised his personality and called for him to be considered as Stefanovic’s permanent successor, while others pointed specifically to the chemistry between Steinfort and Armytage.
The response adds another factor for Nine to consider as it continues reshaping the program and assessing which combination works best with viewers.
However, the network appears determined to keep testing its options rather than settle on a pairing immediately.
Sylvia Jeffreys Will Join Steinfort Next
That means Steinfort will receive another opportunity next week — but under slightly different circumstances.
Armytage will step away from the co-hosting chair for the next test, with Sylvia Jeffreys joining Steinfort instead.
Jeffreys is already a familiar face to Nine viewers through her role on Today Extra, and the new combination will give the network another chance to assess how Steinfort performs alongside a different presenter.
Importantly, the change does not mean Jeffreys has permanently replaced Armytage. It forms part of Nine’s continuing process of testing different line-ups before making a longer-term decision.
Nine’s Search Is Still Far From Finished
Steinfort is also not the only name reportedly under consideration.
Veteran reporter Joel Dry remains among those being discussed for the vacant role and could still receive an opportunity to appear with the Today team.
That leaves Nine with several possibilities as it looks for the strongest permanent combination following Stefanovic’s departure.
For Steinfort, however, the latest ratings lift and positive response have given his prospects a noticeable boost.
And with another week behind the desk now ahead of him — this time alongside Sylvia Jeffreys — Nine will soon have another version of its potential future line-up to assess.