New Today presenters Sylvia Jeffreys and Tom Steinfort are set to share the Channel Nine breakfast couch, bringing an unexpected chapter from their past to the partnership.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the pair were romantically involved more than a decade ago, well before they became two of Nine’s best-known television personalities.
After building separate careers, marrying and starting families, the former couple will now reunite on the Today couch five mornings a week.
Their new roles were confirmed by Nine last week, following a major reshuffle of the network’s breakfast television lineup.
The appointment came after Nine decided not to renew Sarah Abo’s Today contract while she was on maternity leave.
Abo filmed her final program just weeks before welcoming her first child in July. She had been expected to return several months later alongside a new co-host following Karl Stefanovic’s departure in June.
New Today co-hosts Sylvia Jeffreys and Tom Steinfort are preparing to share the Channel Nine breakfast couch — but their professional partnership comes with a surprising twist
Instead, Nine executives told Abo her contract would not be renewed after she declined alternative positions, including a role as a newsreader.
Jeffreys and Steinfort’s appointment has drawn attention not only because of the network’s changes, but also because the pair share a much longer history than their professional relationship at Nine.
Reports have differed over the length of their past relationship, with some accounts claiming they dated for about eight months.
However, a source close to the former couple said the romance was significantly shorter, lasting closer to two months.
That relationship is now firmly behind them, with both journalists having gone on to marry and establish families of their own.
Jeffreys is married to fellow journalist Peter Stefanovic, and the couple are expecting their third child.
Steinfort is married to stylist Claudia Jukic, with the couple sharing two children.
Their professional paths have continued to intersect over the years as both journalists took on a range of roles at Nine.
The pair were once romantically involved more than a decade ago, long before they became two of Nine’s most familiar faces, according to The Daily Telegraph
Jeffreys has been part of the Today team for almost 15 years. She initially joined Nine as a reporter and newsreader before moving into hosting roles on Weekend Today and Today Extra.
Steinfort joined Nine in 2007 and has since worked on several of the network’s major programs, including A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and Nine News.
He has also hosted Weekend Today and previously served as the newsreader on Today.
Viewers have already seen an early preview of the new pairing, with Jeffreys recently returning to the hosting desk alongside Steinfort as Nine trialled different presenter combinations.
Nine ultimately settled on Jeffreys and Steinfort after extensive research into breakfast television, viewer behaviour and audience feedback.
The network has promoted their combined four decades of journalism and presenting experience as a key strength of the new line-up.
Steinfort was quick to praise his new co-host, describing Jeffreys as a ‘brilliant broadcaster, a great mate and a lot of fun’.
Jeffreys was equally enthusiastic about returning to the program, saying the show had ‘always felt like home’.
