Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington has made his way into the hearts of Australians after he was announced as the replacement for veteran Sunrise presenter David ‘Kochie’ Koch in 2023.
A year later, the 45-year-old former Olympian, who once made his living as a professional sprinter, has become one of the country’s most beloved television hosts.
This week, the breakfast show host revealed the grueling schedule that helped him reach the top of Network Seven in just one year.
She said she followed co-host Natalie Barr’s advice to implement a very strict morning routine.
“I’m trying to do a crash course sitting next to Nat because of the lessons she learned along the way, I can learn a lot from them,” he said. 7News.com.au.
Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington, 45 (left) made his way into Australian hearts in 2023 when he was announced as the replacement for veteran Sunrise presenter David ‘Kochie’ Koch, 68 (right).
Shirvo starts his day at 2:20 a.m. to train on his exercise bike at home for 30 minutes while the rest of the country is still sleeping.
Then you make sure you get all your vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals by packing them into a delicious fruit smoothie.
The soda contains spinach, Greek yogurt, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and beets with a touch of cinnamon and coconut water.
Shirvo said it’s the only way he can keep up with aspects of his job that, to his surprise, are very physically demanding.
“I think I’m a pretty strong and fit person, but even sitting in that position and understanding that you have to move and react in a certain way, it’s quite physically and even mentally exhausting, so I think it was a big effort.” big surprise,’ she said.
A year later, the former Olympian who once made a living as a professional sprinter has become one of the country’s most beloved television hosts. Photographed at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
The presenter went on to say that he doesn’t even get a break when the adverts are shown for viewers at home because he and Nat, 56, have work behind the scenes.
While fans of the show watch the latest ads, Shirvo said he and Nat are busy “recording promos, intros and openers, and we’re also talking to the people we’re interviewing.”
When he returns home, Shirvo said he is so exhausted that he has to “take a half-hour nap” after a big lunch just to “get through the rest of the day.”
Shirvo then falls unconscious at night when he goes to bed early at 7:30 p.m.
Despite having no journalism experience, Shirvo found himself in a difficult situation as he spent the last year “breaking a lot” of news stories.
Now the breakfast show host has revealed the grueling schedule that helped him rise to the top of Network Seven in just one year, 7News.com.au reports.
His first day on the job involved covering the devastating Hunter Valley bus crash that killed 10 people, a day Shirvo said was “tough” for the entire team.
The following year, the former athlete covered the AFL Logies and Grand Final, as well as interviewing some big names such as Tom Cruise.
And after every segment he hosts, Shirvo revealed that he relives it all again when he watches them a second time to analyze what he can do better.
He said it was a technique he used in his sporting years to become the third fastest Australian sprinter of all time and compete at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“I think for someone who doesn’t have a specific journalism background, I’m proud of the way I’ve been able to fit into the team,” he said.
The former Australian national 100m dash champion said he has taken advice from co-presenter Natalie Barr, 56 (right), to implement a very strict morning routine.
Shirvo shares daughters Sienna, 17, Winter, 15, and son Lincoln, six, with his high school sweetheart and now wife, Jessica Shirvington.
He was announced as the replacement for veteran Sunrise presenter Kochie, 68, in June 2023 after he first signed to work with Seven in 2020.
Kochie, the longest-serving breakfast television host in Australia’s history, surprised viewers in May 2023 by announcing he would be leaving the show after 21 years.
Despite having no formal training as a journalist at the time, it was not the first time Shirvo held the position of reporter or appeared on television.
After some cameos and guest roles on various other shows, Shirvo joined Sky News Australia in 2010 as a sports presenter and hosted Fox Sports NRL in 2013.
Kochie, the longest-serving breakfast television host in Australia’s history, surprised viewers in May 2023 by announcing he would be leaving the show after 21 years.
He also joined The Back Page as a co-host, worked as host of Friday Night Football on Fox League, and in 2014 co-hosted the ASTRA Awards with Shaynna Blaze.
The Seven Network hired Shirvo in June 2020 as a weekend sports reporter for Seven News Sydney, replacing Jim Wilson.
During this time, he also acted as a fill-in presenter and sports presenter on Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and The Morning Show.
Shirvo’s debut as Sunrise’s permanent co-host alongside Nat in June 2023 was a resounding success.
Seven bigwigs at the time said they were “relieved” by the positive reception, as they hinted they were not always convinced Shirvo could attract a loyal audience.
Shirvo was announced as the replacement for veteran Sunrise presenter Kochie in June 2023 after he first signed to work with Seven in 2020.
Speaking to the industry blog media week Last December, Sarah Stinson, Seven’s head of morning television, alluded to the network’s reservations.
“We are absolutely thrilled and relieved,” he said of the show’s continued ratings dominance at the time.
Stinson also revealed that the network is thrilled that ‘Shirvo’ clicked with co-host Nat.
“He and Nat have a very natural chemistry, and it shows in the air,” she said.
