Make it Matt Doran

Further comments from TEN’s new boss of News and Current Affairs Peter Meakin says he is considering adding someone else to struggling breakfast show Wake Up.

That’s despite the removal of Natasha Exelby last year.

Meakin told The Australian, “It clearly wasn’t working, but things can be fixed slowly and effectively rather than brutally with people and the show itself. Maybe add someone else to the mix, maybe have some other role and someone doing the weather because they do look a bit lonely sometimes.”

So here’s a tip that won’t cost the network any money or research: make it Matt Doran.

Ever since the show began TV Tonight readers have championed for Doran to be included on the show:

• Getting rid of James & Sam Mack & bringing in Matt Doran will bring some credibility to the show. Also hiring a better newsreader will help.
• I think they need to move Matt Doran to Wake Up.
• James Mathison is the weak link.He looks as though as hasn’t got any knowledge of what is going on around him.Matt Doran would be great!
• I was hoping Wake Up would be a success but it has been one big old hot mess since the beginning. I love the location but the hosts have just never clicked. Perhaps replacing James with Matt Doran would be a start.
• Surely Peter Meakin would make changes before swinging the axe. Like we have all said on here before, bring in Matt Doran!
• I do agree with a lot that is being said, in particular having Matt Doran as co-host.
• I don’t dislike James at all, however I don’t think he is suited to this, I think he would have made a better roving reporting, I agree with most people that Matt Doran would be great, he and Natarsha have a great chemistry that really comes across the screen
• Natasha Belling should be on news. I don’t particularly dislike Nuala, but Belling is yards ahead in terms of professionalism. She could cross to Matt Doran in the newsroom for updates throughout the morning and chat with him a bit.
• Viewer feedback has worked once with this show so here goes… Replace “matto” with Matt Doran. He fits well with Natarsha Belling and has credibility and likeability
• matt doran and natasha belling have proven chemistry together
• Matt Doran should replace James immediately.
• I would love to know if Matt Doran was tested as a potential co-host? I just can’t take James Mathison seriously, he would have been a better fit for Studio 10 instead.
• Now James to go & Matt Doran to the desk please.
• Matt Doran and Tarsh Belling i’d be happy with.
• Natarsha Belling is the pick of the three but she needs Matt Doran with her.
• Now they are down a host, can Nuala split local news duties with Matt Doran in the Pyrmont studio.
• Changes need to be made. Matt Doran & Natarsha would be a good combo.
• Keep Natarsha Belling bring in Matt Doran & Reuben Mourad to do the weather.
• Wake Up needs to say goodbye to James & Nula, move Tash to the news desk & bring in Matt Doran with Natarsha then I might watch.
• James Mathison (should have been Matt Doran he has killer chemistry with Natarsha)

Meakin also said was not about to start wielding an axe on the show.

Yesterday despite telling the Sunday Telegraph the show was looking at “maybe another six months” today he clarifies, “Six months is not a deadline.

“Commercial television being what it is and even with a network as patient as Channel 10, something has to give. You can’t just live with those figures forever.”

Whatever changes are made to the show the way forward is not to mimic Sunrise and Today but to play it straight as a news-based show, with a broader touch than ABC News Breakfast. Doran could help achieve that. The rest is up to producing and marketing.