KEY POINTS:
One half of TVNZ's odd couple, Breakfast programme host Kay Gregory, is leaving at the end of the week.
TVNZ announced today Gregory was finishing up in the slot she shares with Paul Henry, to focus on her family and other work commitments.
The pair has come in for a fair bit of stick for lack of on-screen chemistry.
No decision has been made yet on her replacement.
A statement from TVNZ said that for the past 10 years Gregory had balanced her family life and television career between her home base in the Waikato and TVNZ's studio in Auckland.
She had told TVNZ that she now wanted to expand her role as a marriage and funeral celebrant.
"I would also like to be able to do more public speaking and freelance writing without the tiredness that comes from getting up at 3.30 in the mornings five days a week," she said.
"It's been a wonderful 10 years and I am very grateful to TVNZ for the opportunities they have given me."
Gregory started on Breakfast in January 2005, replacing Alison Mau, who moved to Prime.
She was a reporter for the show at its inception almost 10 years ago, and had a lengthy stint as a weather presenter.
Anthony Flannery, TVNZ's head of news and current affairs, said a decision on her replacement had not yet been made, but that "there's a lot of talent out there".
"It's Kay's moment. We want to celebrate her career at TVNZ and her contribution."
Mau, who could well be angling to get her place back on the Breakfast show couch, told the Herald on Sunday yesterday that it was her "very favourite television show ever", but that the hours were a killer.
The 10th anniversary of the show next month coincides with the launch by TV3 of their breakfast show Sunrise, which will start after the Rugby World Cup.
TV3's expansion also comes at a time of downsizing at TVNZ, which has slashed its workforce in recent months amid falling revenues.
In April, journalists bore the brunt of nearly 60 redundancies at the broadcaster.
Last month, 44 news and current affairs jobs went as part of the company-wide restructuring plan and three weeks ago, the jobs of three of TVNZ's veteran sports broadcasters -- Keith Quinn, John McBeth and Geoff Bryan were axed.
The loss of screening rights of major sports event meant the redundancies were inevitable, TVNZ said.
The restructuring is expected to be completed by October.
- NZPA
