Host Paul Henry has proved a divisive figure on the show. Source: The Sunday Telegraph
BELT-TIGHTENING has been blamed for the axing of Ten's morning show, The Circle, while rumoured $1 million-man Paul Henry and his ratings flop, Breakfast have survived an inevitable makeover of the network's failing AM programming.
In a surprise scheduling switch up, Ten boss James Warburton said the decision to cease production and sack staff, including The Circle hosts Gorgi Coghlan and Yumi Stymes, was "unfortunate'' but part of a new strategy of "tight fiscal control and cost discipline.''
As shocking as it has been swift, the credits will roll on the final episode of The Circle this Friday - never having reached its ratings promise and flagging even further after the exit of Logie-winning co-host Chrissie Swan.
The Punch - Make morning television less of a dog?s breakfast
Meanwhile, the poor performing Breakfast has also been trimmed by a half hour, making room for a slate of cheap US import shows including The Talk, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider.
Ten's morning line-up will now comprise: 6am-8.30am Breakfast, 8.30am to 9am Wurrawhy (for pre-schoolers), 9am to 10am The Talk (a chat show featuring Sara Gilbert and Sharon Osbourne), 10am to 11am Ten Morning News (hosted by Ron Wilson), 11am to 11.30am Entertainment Tonight (recently dropped by Channel 9) and 11.30am to 12noon The Insider (an ET spin-off show).
Staff of the embattled Breakfast were told of the changes at an emergency meeting this morning, with overnight concerns the lights would be turned off their show.
Premiering to great expectations in February, Breakfast has failed to trouble the OzTam scorers or dent the rivalry between Nine's Today show and Channel 7's market leader, Sunrise.
Its launch executive producer Majella Weimers left earlier this month, hot on the heels of third-wheel co-host Andrew Rochford.
It now leaves Henry and co-host Kathryn Robinson to right a sinking ship or go down with it.
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