Sunrise’s Nat Barr and Matt Shirvington’s new TV project is unveiled as breakfast TV stars tackle prime-time

They continued to dominate the breakfast TV ratings even after the retirement of Sunrise mainstay David ‘Kochie’ Koch.

But now Natalie Barr and Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington are ready for their next TV challenge: prime time.

This year the Sunrise duo present Carols In The Domain, broadcast nationally on Seven on Saturday 23 December from 7.30pm.

In a statement, Shirvo said he had been watching Carols in the Domain “with my family since I was a boy, so to now be on stage for the first time as host is quite surreal.”

‘It’s pure joy and that’s why Australians have loved it for so many years. I can’t wait,” Barr added.

Among the talents taking to the stage this year are The Wiggles, Dami Im, Lucy Durack, Casey Donovan and Silvia Colloca.

Carols In The Domain is broadcast nationally on Channel 7 and 7plus.

The news comes after Seven bigwigs recently suggested they were not always convinced the 45-year-old former Olympian was the right choice to replace retiring veteran David ‘Kochie’ Koch..

In conversation with an industry blog MediaweekSarah Stinson, director of Seven’s morning television, alluded to the network’s reservations.

“We are absolutely thrilled and relieved,” she said of the show’s continued ratings dominance.

Among the talent appearing at Carols In The Domain this year are The Wiggles, Dami Im, Lucy Durack, Casey Donovan and Silvia Colloca

Sunrise executives have admitted they are ‘relieved’. Shirvington has emerged as David Koch’s successor as the hit program remains Australian TV’s top breakfast show

They also revealed that they are happy that ‘Shirvo’ has hit it off with co-host Natalie Barr.

“He and Nat have such natural chemistry, and it shows on the air,” Stinson said.

Although it suffered some rare ratings losses last month against arch-rival Today on Channel Nine, Sunrise is predicted to end 2023 as Australia’s most-watched breakfast show.

David Koch (pictured left, with Natale Barr), the longest serving breakfast TV presenter in Australian history, stunned viewers and the industry in May by announcing he would be leaving the program after 21 years

And Stinson has described the hit program as ‘more than a television show’ for his fans as viewers will no longer have to watch the show on Seven’s main channel.

The program extends its reach through social media and streaming and can be viewed on mobile devices.

“Sunrise is now more than a television show,” Stinson stated.

Speaking to industry blog Mediaweek Sarah Stinson, Seven’s director of morning television said the chemistry between co-host Natalie Barr and Shirvington has worked for fans

Meanwhile, Sunrise executive producer Sean Power told the publication that while Sunrise has dominated breakfast TV ratings for two decades, it still doesn’t want to take any risks.

“We never take for granted the fact that there is such extraordinary dominance,” he said, and has promised fans some surprise segments for the new year.

“Some of the things on the whiteboard are crazy big,” he explained.

Shirvington, who shares teenage daughters Siena and Winter and a five-year-old son named Lincoln with wife Jessica, was announced as Koch’s replacement in June after being at Seven since 2020. Pictured: Shirvington at the Sydney Cricket Ground last week

Koch, the longest-serving breakfast TV presenter in Australian history, stunned viewers and the industry in May by announcing he was leaving the program after 21 years.

Shirvington, who shares teenage daughters Siena and Winter and a five-year-old son named Lincoln with wife Jessica, was announced as Koch’s replacement in June after being at Seven since 2020.

Nine’s Today has struggled to gain ground against Sunrise in recent years, partly due to the revolving door of presenters on the Nine show.

Despite recent setbacks, Seven Network executives are no doubt keen to pop the champagne corks after the end of the upcoming viewing season, with Sunrise believed to be the overall winner.

This will be the 20th year that Sunrise has won first place in its timeslot, after taking first place in the overall ratings survey last year.

According to the 2022 OzTam survey year, Sunrise had an average national daily audience of 397,000 viewers.

Seven said it was ’31 percent larger than its nearest competitor’.