TVNZ Breakfast's Indira Stewart reveals Covid-19 diagnosis, Jenny-May Clarkson also absent

TVNZ's Breakfast team is two presenters down this week. Photo / Supplied

TVNZ Breakfast has seen a bit of a shake up on the couch this week with hosts Indira Stewart and Jenny-May Clarkson replaced by Wendy Petrie - of "jazz hands" fame - and Jenny Suo.

While Stewart has announced she's been hit with Covid, Clarkson took up a last-minute chance to cover the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Posting to Instagram, Stewart revealed: "I finally got the Rona ..." and shared a cheerful photo from a Woman's Day photo shoot, taken in healthier times.

Meanwhile, Clarkson has shared a sweet photo overnight of her twin sons, who have been on holiday in Australia while she's been covering the games. She captioned the post: "It's been a long month away from our boys ... not long now kōrua ... Māmā can't wait to see you x."

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A post shared by Jenny-May Clarkson (@jmayclarkson)

Clarkson has previously been absent from her morning presenter role due to Covid. In June she announced she was isolating with one of her sons and shared a post to Instagram with the caption: "We got this son. #dayzero."

TVNZ Breakfast host Jenny-May Clarkson revealed she was isolating with her son due to Covid in June. Photo / Instagram

The Breakfast host was also off-air in March after potential contact with a positive Covid-19 case, her absence prompting speculation that she had indeed contracted the virus. However, posts on her Instagram account later appeared to show she was on a family holiday rather than in Covid-induced isolation.

Stewart's confirmed Covid case and Clarkson's absence in relation to the virus follow their co-host Matty McLean contracting the virus in April.

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A post shared by Matty McLean (@mattymcleannz)

TVNZ's wider news family has also seen Hilary Barry forced to take a leave of absence at the end of June, due to Covid, and in March TVNZ deputy political editor Maiki Sherman shared on Twitter that she and her whānau were Covid-positive.

Celebrating 34 years of age today with my entire whānau covid positive and māmā making everyone dress up for a birthday photo because albums are forever and this is a moment!

🥂🎈🎂🎁🎊✨🥂 pic.twitter.com/SiH2xrK90X

— Maiki Sherman (@MaikiSherman) March 7, 2022

A spokesperson for TVNZ told the Herald in March that, like many Kiwi organisations, they were feeling the impact of Covid but the company is "fortunate" to have several presenters who work across numerous programmes and are "very used to covering for each other, which allows presenters to travel for certain stories or take scheduled holidays".