Rumours are swirling that veteran news presenter Peter Overton could have a challenger for his coveted role.
Overton, 59, has been the 9News Sydney presenter for the past 17 years, during his 35-year career at Channel Nine.
However, according to Woman’s Day, Nine’s political editor Charles Croucher has his eyes on the job.
While there has been no word of Overton stepping down from the role, an insider claimed that Croucher had tested well in focus groups as a potential replacement.
‘Focus groups have given the ‘thumbs up’ for Charlie, who is very popular with the viewers and his colleagues,’ the insider claimed.
They added Croucher, like Overton, could bring a certain gravitas to the role, given his experience.
Rumours are swirling that veteran news presenter Peter Overton could have a challenger for his coveted role
According to Woman’s Day, Nine’s political editor Charles Croucher has his eyes on the job
‘He’s a terrific bloke, and has been in the trenches for years, and is highly respected, especially in Canberra,’ they added.
The insider reiterated that while Croucher has not been shy about making his career aspirations known, he might have to wait a while.
‘Charles has made no secret he wants the gig when Pete leaves, but that could be a long time if Pete has his way.
However, speaking to Nine in August, Overton insisted that he wasn’t ready to call time on his nearly two-decade stint as the 9News Sydney anchor.
‘I’ve got a few more years left,’ he said.
‘Fifteen years as the dominant number one in the Sydney market is a real tribute to the people I work alongside, and we don’t take anything for granted.
‘I treat every night as opening night. That’s what we do, all of us, and it’s paying a lovely dividend for us all.’
Daily Mail has reached out to Channel Nine for comment.
‘Focus groups have given the ‘thumbs up’ for Charlie, who is very popular with the viewers and his colleagues,’ an insider claimed. Croucher is pictured with Sarah Abo
Overton, 59, has been the 9News Sydneypresenter for the past 17 years, during his 35-year career at Channel Nine
It comes after Overton was forced off-air in November after suffering a serious injury.
The Nine veteran suffered a nasty fall at home, resulting in a severely injured wrist.
The damage was so significant it required a gruelling four-hour surgery involving a bone graft, three metal plates, and multiple screws.
The news was shared by his wife, journalist and podcast host Jessica Rowe, in a heartfelt social media post.
‘Never a dull moment in our house!’ she wrote, revealing the extent of her husband’s injury.
‘What with Allegra finishing her HSC & the chaos that can be daily life, Petee recently had a nasty fall at home, badly injuring his wrist.’
Rowe, 55, added that Overton was under ‘strict instructions to rest & recover,’ and that it will be ‘some time before he’s back on screen’.
During Overton’s three-week absence, Georgie Gardner and Deborah Knight filled in for the veteran news presenter.
Croucher, meanwhile, began his career at Nine in Darwin back in 2010.
After a stint on A Current Affair and in Parliament House as a politics reporter, he took on the role of Nine’s US correspondent before returning to Australia to co-host Weekend Today in 2020.
In October 2022, Croucher succeeded Chris Uhlmann as Nine’s political editor.
Read the full article here
