TVNZ Breakfast hosts: Chris Chang, Anna Burns-Francis to join lineup in 2023

Current Breakfast hosts Jenny-May Clarkson, Matty McLean and Indira Stewart. Photo / Instagram

TVNZ’s Breakfast will see another shake-up in 2023.

Current presenter Indira Stewart is leaving her role on the morning show to work as an in-depth multimedia reporter, the broadcaster revealed today.

And current sports reporter Chris Chang and US correspondent Anna Burns-Francis will join Jenny-May Clarkson and Matty McLean on the Breakfast couch when it returns to screens on January 23.

Chang will also read the midday news from Monday to Thursday, with Stewart presenting the segment on Fridays.

News and current affairs executive editor Phil O’Sullivan said: “We’re really pleased Anna and Chris are joining Jenny-May and Matty to bring their own unique brand of smart, funny, incisive journalism to our morning news audience.

“We’re also thrilled to have Indira using her impressive journalistic skills on our digital platforms and Q+A. With a focus on political and social issues, she’ll be making sure our audiences are across all the stories they need to know about. She’ll be a very big asset in a huge news year ahead.”

Chris Chang. Photo / Supplied

The shuffle comes after months of speculation about who would replace former Breakfast host Kamahl Santamaria on the couch - and it’s no surprise that TVNZ has hired from among their existing staff.

The former Al Jazeera anchor left TVNZ after just 31 days on air, as allegations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour surfaced.

He was hired by TVNZ in April last year to replace departing host John Campbell, but resigned suddenly after just over a month in the job.

Anna Burns-Francis. Photo / Supplied

He was accused of sending multiple women inappropriate messages in his previous role at Al Jazeera, and at least one female colleague complained about inappropriate behaviour from him at TVNZ.

Santamaria apologised for his behaviour in a lengthy statement on his website in October last year.

Breakfast returns to TVNZ 1 at 6am on January 23.