Sarah Harris joins Nova’s new Sydney breakfast lineup

JAMES MANNING

February 5, 2026 4:15

Sarah Harris joins Nova’s new Sydney breakfast lineup

Ricki-Lee Coulter, Tim Blackwell and Sarah Harris are Nova Sydney's new breakfast team

Just hours before Nova revealed that a third member of the new look Sydney breakfast team, Nova network’s group programming director Brendan Taylor revealed the strategy behind the major Sydney and network changes launching next Monday, February 9.

The new addition to the Sydney team is former co-host of Network 10’s The Project, Sarah Harris. After a media career spanning more than 25 years across the Seven, Nine and 10 networks, as both a news reporter and presenter, Harris is joining Ricki-Lee Coulter and Tim Blackwell’s new Nova Sydney show as their newsreader.

As Mumbrella confirmed last week, the changes across the Nova stations this year, including the Sydney breakfast and network drive program flip from February 9, represent a big roll of the dice for a brand where change is kept to as minimum.

Speaking to Mumbrella about the shake-up, Taylor said: “Consistency is what sets us apart from our competitors. We don’t make changes lightly or reactively. What we will launch next Monday is about longevity and it’s about anticipating the right time and the right ways to evolve and set us up for the future.”

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While Fitzy, Wippa and Kate had a strong audience cume in breakfast, their share didn’t rank quite as high.

Taylor pointed out Nova needs to consider both metrics when analysing performance. He added that the outgoing breakfast show in 2025 had its highest-ever share average over its 15-year run, at over 8%, with four of the eight 2025 survey periods breaking above an 8.5% share.

So why the change then? Taylor noted the factors considered include the desire of both Fitzy, Wippa and Kate plus Ricki-Lee and Tim to move to different ends of the day.

The competitive Sydney radio climate also indicates it could be a good time to make the moves.

Christian O’Connell is new in Sydney with a networked show, both SCA breakfast shows are still finding their feet, and Kyle and Jackie O now have a national focus. What better time to try a new team with a Sydney-only focus?

“The foundations for Nova breakfast radio are a commitment to live and local,” explained the group PD.

Taylor said cost must be a consideration when reviewing performance of any radio show. “But these changes have not been driven solely by cost considerations,” he adds.

“We obviously want the best people on air and then costs come into it after that and we need to keep that in mind. This is about putting the best content creators and broadcasters on to build our audience, to build on consistency and longevity.”

Driving change at Nova

Brendan Taylor

Taylor wouldn’t be specific about how long these changes had been in play. “But if you spoke to Fitzy over the past two years, he had always hoped he would be able to go back to where he started at Nova, on the drive show.

“The changes allow the broadcasters [changing dayparts] to do their best work. We want to build and evolve our audiences and offer our commercial partners integration opportunities.”

Although Taylor leads the programming across the network, he explained changes like this need to be signed off by a team that includes chief executive Peter Charlton and COO Peter Colosimo, with input from the sales team about any likely impacts.

“It was a very collaborative approach and a very considered approach,” said Taylor.

Getting the mix right for a new breakfast

Having a new-but-known partnership taking over Sydney breakfast makes the job a little easier for the promo and sales teams.

The traditional formula for FM breakfast shows has seen some stations secure comedians and sports-people. Nova continues to resist that temptation in Sydney.

“We considered all options as you do at times like this,” Taylor said. “An absolute first has to be the chemistry and that is where the relationship Ricki-Lee and Tim have comes into play.”

Taylor would not be drawn on the exact amount of time Harris will be heard on the new breakfast show, apart from guaranteeing she will be presenting the news bulletins.

“Sarah’s experience and her passion for news speaks for itself. She’s the perfect fit for a show that we’re building for Sydney where news is such an integral part of breakfast.”

To make sure the breakfast team will slip comfortably into their new roles, Taylor explained there had been plenty of planning and preparation behind the scenes ahead of the Monday launch.

Executive producers entrusted for new Nova shows

Toni Kipa is filling the role of executive producer of Ricki-Lee and Tim in Sydney breakfast.

She has spent the past decade on the frontline of the radio wars. She served two years with SCA at the Hit Network in Sydney as EP of the Jimmy and Nath Show with Emma on 2DayFM Breakfast. Before that she spent 12 months producing the ARN network shows The Pick Up with Brittany Hockley, Laura Byrne and Mitch Churi from 3pm-4pm, and The Night Show with Mitch Churi.

Overseeing the new breakfast show as program director is Sarah McGilvray, who first joined Nova 15 years ago and has played crucial roles on and off air.

Fitzy, Wippa and Kate in drive remain under the watchful eye of longtime EP Tom Ivey, who has been with the boys since they started in drive, through to the current teaming with Kate Ritchie.

Ratings “upside”, but no specific survey predictions

When I spoke to two of Nova Entertainment’s key team behind the launch of Smooth FM over a decade ago – Paul Jackson and Tony Thomas – I managed to get a ratings prediction. They copped some criticism from the then-management team for going out on a limb.

Turns out they undersold the brand, which has surged way ahead of what was proven to be a modest forecast.

Try as I might for a Ricki-Lee and Tim ratings prediction, Taylor was playing his cards close to his chest. He is not sharing any targets, but he does feel there is considerable chance for growth.

“There’ll be no predictions. But I will answer like this: We’ve got legacy shows in key day parts that have built a brilliant audience base. Our job is to continue with that.

“It’s also to build on that and to grow our audiences. We are very confident of a great audience connection for those that listen to [the new] Sydney breakfast and national drive. There is potential there and there’s [ratings] upside.”