The call to return to a beloved role came, and Ali Pugh didn't even flinch! This year's Breakfast is ushering in a new era with a familiar face stepping back into the spotlight. Ali Pugh is making a significant personal commitment, commuting from her home in Christchurch to Auckland for the exciting opportunity to co-host Breakfast for a portion of the year, before Tova O'Brien takes the helm in April.
When the invitation arrived to co-host Breakfast at the start of the year, Ali Pugh had a considerable amount to consider. The most immediate challenge was the demanding commute – a weekly round trip between Christchurch and Auckland, all while managing the schedules of her three young children. Add to that the notoriously early 3:30 am wake-up calls and the equally unsociable bedtimes that are par for the course in this demanding role.
Given these considerable factors, did she hesitate? "No!" Ali exclaims with a laugh. "I didn’t pause. I didn’t even consult my husband before I said yes."
This immediate acceptance stems from a deep and enduring connection. Ali Pugh and Breakfast share a long history, and her respect and affection for the program run incredibly deep. "Breakfast has been a part of my life since I started as a round-up reporter in 2009, or maybe it was 2010," she recalls. "It was basically my first real job in journalism."
Several years later, Ali achieved a significant career milestone, serving as co-host of the show for two years alongside Rawdon Christie. She cherishes the show's unique ability to blend serious news with lighthearted moments: "I love that there’s always space made on Breakfast to have a laugh and bring the joy into people’s living rooms at the beginning of the day. It’s a privilege to help people set their day up. I’m thrilled to be back on the couch. Well, it’s not a couch anymore."
And she's right! The 2026 iteration of *Breakfast* features a completely revamped set. Gone are the comfortable couches, replaced by high desks and stools. The previous "forest’s edge" theme has been swapped for a sleek "urban dawn" aesthetic. This change might subtly reflect the fast-paced news landscape of 2026, which promises an election, the FIFA World Cup, and ongoing international political drama.
One constant on the new set is co-host Chris Chang, and Ali couldn't be happier. "Chris and I go way back and I'm a big fan of his," she shares. The admiration is clearly mutual, with Chris expressing his excitement about his new, albeit temporary, co-host. "I think Ali is fantastic," he says. "That’s a typical comment to make about a new co-host but I mean it. We’ve talked in the past about how fun it would be to co-host together, but it’s never really been a possibility because Ali’s been in Christchurch. Co-hosting Breakfast is such an all-consuming job, from morning to night. Not many people would have to engage with another person for that many hours in a day. So ideally you want someone who doesn’t make it feel like work."
Ali wholeheartedly agrees: "It would be very draining if you had to act."
Their professional paths first crossed over ten years ago while both were working on Breakfast. "You got that high-profile job [as co-host] when you were quite young and I was still a junior reporter," Chris fondly recalls to Ali.
Now both in their late 30s, they've navigated remarkably "parallel lives," each married and raising three young daughters. A key difference, however, is their natural inclination towards mornings. While Ali admits she's "not naturally a morning person (though can obviously be one when required)," Chris is a definite morning enthusiast. "Well, I’m not a night person, so by default yes, I’m a morning person," he explains. "I can’t stay up late at all now. I went to Ed Sheeran the other night and I was like, come on Ed, time for bed."
Making it Work
For Ali, the upcoming months will represent a significant shift from the past decade spent balancing motherhood to Thea (10), Heidi (7), and Jemima (4) with part-time reporting for TVNZ’s 6pm News. This new role will allow her to dedicate her full focus to work during the weekdays. "Because the afternoons are so hectic as a mum, the school pick-up, then the chauffeuring to activities, the homework, cooking dinner. My afternoons and evenings will look quite different now. I’ll still be prepping for the next day’s show but I'll be able to focus on one thing, which as a mum you never fully can."
While different, it's not a daunting prospect. Ali is confident in her husband, Jo Barus, a musician who plays with Sir Dave Dobbyn, taking on full-time parenting duties during the week, with Ali returning to Christchurch on weekends. "He’s a wonderful support," she says. "I think it’s good for the girls too, to see their mum working. Although I don’t think they’ve quite grasped what’s happening yet, they will when they see me on TV. They’re very intrigued and I’ve promised I’ll let them come up to Auckland and visit the set and sit on the seats."
For now, Ali Pugh is focused on settling into that presenter's seat herself. While she's no stranger to the role, she's far from taking its demands lightly. "The show’s changed a lot," she observes. "The format is a lot more full-on now with a lot more presenter contribution."
When asked if he has any advice for his new colleague, Chris, a seasoned Breakfast veteran, simply states: "God no. I don’t need to tell her anything. She’s good to go."
Breakfast returns to air weekdays from 6-9 am on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ starting Monday.
But here's where it gets interesting: Is it truly possible to achieve such a demanding career balance without any compromise? Ali's immediate 'yes' to co-hosting Breakfast is admirable, but it raises questions about the sacrifices often made by parents in high-pressure roles. What do you think? Is it always possible to have it all, or are there certain opportunities that require a significant personal reshuffling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
