One News hopefuls ready to front up

Five of TVNZ's biggest stars are expected to be grilled this week about why they should be the one to replace Judy Bailey on One News.

The five - Simon Dallow, Peter Williams, Bernadine Oliver-Kerby, Wendy Petrie and Kate Hawkesby - are understood to have only recently been given audience feedback about their on-air performances.

"It was the decision of previous management not to make it known to the people themselves," one insider told the Herald on Sunday.

TVNZ spokeswoman Avon Adams refused to speculate about when interviews would take place - "We are going through a process of looking for a 6pm newsreader" - but Breakfast newsreader Williams confirmed he was scheduled for an interview tomorrow afternoon.

Williams, a 26-year veteran with TV One, said he was given notice in the past few days of his "discussion" with management.

Petrie and Oliver-Kerby could not be reached for comment, while Tonight host Kate Hawkesby didn't want to discuss the matter.

Judy Bailey has just a month left fronting One News.

There has been some speculation that TVNZ - facing stiff competition from 3 News - might return to a two-person newsreading team. One insider said there were advantages to both formats.

"A two-header has proved to be successful for TVNZ before and it's obviously working for TV3 at the moment."

Meanwhile CloseUp presenter Susan Wood said yesterday she would be returning to work tomorrow.

She told the Herald on Sunday she was confident her negotiations with TVNZ would be resolved shortly.

"We are still talking and I am really hopeful everything will be sorted in the next few days," she said.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY