LISA MILLAR confirmed as new host of ABC NEWS BREAKFAST, replacing Virginia Trioli

The ABC has this morning confirmed respected journalist and former London bureau chief Lisa Millar will join Michael Rowland as the new host of ABC News Breakfast when Virginia Trioli departs later this year.

Millar, who returned to Australia last October after overseas postings in the US and Europe, will take over from Virginia Trioli on the program from Monday 19 August.

“I’ve been traveling quite a bit in regional Australia since I got back and people are always asking me about the Brekky team and whether everyone is as nice and friendly as they seem,” Millar says.

“The answer is a definite yes. And I can’t wait to join them.”

As well as co-presenting News Breakfast, Michael Rowland will have a new role anchoring coverage of big local and world events across ABC News programs and platforms, including the 7pm News – as he has already done this year with stories ranging from the Trump-Kim summit in Hanoi to Bob Hawke’s memorial service.

“I look forward to drawing on my experience as a foreign correspondent, and the dozens of on-location broadcasts I’ve hosted for News Breakfast over the years, to bring to ABC audiences breaking stories from around Australia and around the world,” Rowland says.

“I’m also so excited to be sharing the Breakfast couch with Lisa Millar. She’s undoubtedly one of this country’s finest journalists and brings a genuine warmth and empathy to the screen. And we’re great mates.

“It’s been a pleasure working alongside Virginia for the past nine years – we’ve been part of a formidable team. ABC Radio Melbourne will benefit enormously from her broadcasting prowess.”

After being with News Breakfast since its debut in 2008, Virginia Trioli is moving to present the Mornings shift on ABC Melbourne Radio. Her farewell program will be on Thursday 15 August.

Says Trioli: “I’m so happy for Lisa and for the fabulous News Breakfast audience that they’re going to spend mornings together. Lisa’s a brilliant journalist and communicator and this is a perfect fit.

“I’m bubble-wrapping my alarm clock and sending it over.”

Lisa Millar began her journalism career with a cadetship on Queensland’s The Gympie Times before working for Brisbane tabloid The Sun and WIN TV in Townsville. She joined the ABC in 1993 as North Queensland correspondent and moved on to other roles including reporting on state and federal politics and hosting Queensland Stateline.

From 2001-2005 Millar was a North America correspondent based in Washington, and she was part of the team that won the 2005 Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism. In July 2009 she was appointed North America Bureau Chief and in September 2015 London Bureau Chief. Since returning to Australia in October 2018 she has held a roving reporting and presenting role, including being a regular guest presenter on Back Roads.