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She’s become the most talked-about woman in breakfast TV after joining forces with Karl Stefanovic to co-host Channel Nine’s Today show early last year.
And Allison Langdon has opened up about her success in the December issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly, which is on sale sale.
Looking radiant on the cover alongside her children, son Mack, four, and daughter Scout, two, the 42-year-old discussed family life, her marriage to Michael Willesee Jr and how Today is catching up with Sunrise the breakfast TV ratings war.
Family: Ally Langdon poses with her children on the cover of The Australian Women’s Weekly as she says ‘winning feels good’ after Today caught up with Sunrise in the breakfast TV ratings
Allison, a journalist of more than two decades, said raising children as a working mum can be ‘tricky’ but that moving from 60 Minutes – which often involved overseas assignments – to the breakfast slot had been a blessing.
‘Initially Mack would join me on 60 Minutes assignments, then Scout would come,’ she said. ‘But it got tricky. Every time I left the room, Mack would think, “Is mummy gone for a minute or a week?” I loved the job but it wasn’t working. Breakfast TV is the right gig at the right time for me now.’
She also revealed that hosting new prime-time series Parental Guidance, which focuses on how 10 families with different parenting styles raise their children, had changed how she and Michael raise their own kids.
Opening up: The 42-year-old discussed family life, her marriage to Michael Willesee Jr (right) and how Today is catching up with Sunrise the breakfast TV ratings war
‘Up until now, Mike and I took from our parents, books, Google, and the rest we made up as we went along,’ she said.
‘But since the show, we’ve had conversations about consistency and calm. We’re far from perfect but we’ve made some tweaks and I think we’re better parents.’
Allison also discussed the breakfast TV ratings war between Today and Channel Seven’s Sunrise, which took an interesting turn recently when Nine started securing key victories in the five-city metro market and the east coast.
I won’t sit here and say, “I don’t want to win.” Winning feels good. We’re in a battle we welcome. I’m glad it’s close. Competition is healthy. Everyone works harder,’ she said.
Change: Allison said raising children as a working mum can be ‘tricky’ but that moving from 60 Minutes, which often involved overseas assignments, to the breakfast slot had been a blessing
It comes after Allison told Woman’s Day earlier this week the ‘tighter race’ makes for far more compelling television as both programs lift their game.
‘It’s nice that it’s a tighter race these days. It keeps it interesting and keeps everyone on their toes and at their best,’ she said.
The mother of two and her co-anchor Karl, 47, have never been more determined to give it their all every single morning.
‘The show – and trying to do the best one possible – is always on our minds,’ she said.
Lessons: She also revealed that hosting new prime-time series Parental Guidance, which focuses on how 10 families with different parenting styles raise their children, had changed how she and Michael raise their own kids. Pictured with co-host Dr Justin Coulson (left)
Allison, who has been crucial to the Today show’s comeback, is now hosting a new prime-time show for Nine called Parental Guidance.
The series, co-hosted by author Dr Justin Coulson, will see 10 sets of parents with different parenting styles – some controversial – put their methods to the test.
It comes after Today soared ahead of Sunrise in the ratings last Wednesday with a five-city audience of 236,000.
Competition: Allison also discussed the breakfast TV ratings war between Today and Seven’s Sunrise, which took an interesting turn recently when Nine started securing key victories in the five-city metro market and the east coast. Pictured with Today co-host Karl Stefanovic
It beat Sunrise, which had 228,000 metro viewers, and ABC News Breakfast, which had a combined audience of 205,000 across ABC and ABC News.
Today also secured a strong regional audience of 109,000, bringing its total national figure to 346,000, and helping Nine win the day in all key demos and total people.
These numbers will no doubt please Nine executives, who recently offered Allison and Karl one-year contract extensions worth $1.8million each.
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