Kevin Rudd ready to rumble

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott surprises Kevin Rudd at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: Herald Sun

KEVIN Rudd has challenged Tony Abbott to three debates and cast the election as a battle between the nerdy "glasses-wearing kid in the library" and the Oxford boxing champion.

While the Prime Minister continues to keep the nation guessing about the election date, he attacked the Opposition Leader's "ticker".

Mr Rudd said he wanted debates on the subjects Mr Abbott has campaigned on - debt and deficit, asylum seekers and the carbon tax.

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"Mr Abbott, I think it's time you demonstrated to the country that you had a bit of ticker on this. I mean, he's the boxing Blue, I'm the glasses-wearing kid in the library," Mr Rudd told ABC TV's 7.30 program.

"Let's have the Australian people form a view about whether his policies actually have substance, whether they actually work or whether they're just slogans.

"It's time we have a properly moderated debate by the National Press Club and that it should be on his chosen subjects to start with. He can have one on debt and deficit, he can have one after that on boats, he can have one after that, if he likes, on the carbon price."

Mr Rudd said Mr Abbott's "whole program for government rests on a house of cards". But Mr Abbott, who won his boxing Blue at Oxford, said Mr Rudd should name the election date or recall Parliament to have debates every day.

"If you want to have a formal debate, name the election date and let the debate begin," he said.

Mr Rudd denied his return as PM was revenge against Julia Gillard for taking the job from him in 2010.

"Good grief, no," he told 7.30 host Leigh Sales. "If I was so wounded by the events of 2010, I would have gone off whimpering into the corner some time ago.

"Had we been travelling in much better circumstances, then I'm sure none of these events would have happened. That didn't occur and I'm determined to take the fight up to Mr Abbott so the people at this election have a real choice."

While his supporters were agitating for his return and claiming to have a petition to remove Ms Gillard, Mr Rudd denied breaking his promise not to challenge.

"Julia Gillard decided to call a leadership ballot and, secondly, she then vacated the leadership and it was invited for all to put their hand up and to nominate, and I did that," he said.

Mr Rudd said Labor had been headed for a catastrophic election defeat.

"I wasn't about to stand idly by and see everything we've worked for, for the last five or six years, go down the gurgle as Mr Abbott set about ripping it apart," he said.

Mr Rudd, who travels to Indonesia today, said Mr Abbott's plan to "turn back boats" needed more words: "How will you turn the boats back?"

Mr Rudd last night wrote to Mr Abbott offering him briefings on border integrity matters and national security from ASIO, the National Security Adviser, public service chiefs, Immigration, the Federal Police, Customs, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service and Foreign Affairs.

Mr Rudd also met the United States and Chinese ambassadors today.

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Gandolfini leaves bulk of estate to son

Actor James Gandolfini from the TV program "The Sopranos". The 51-year-old actor died of a heart attack while vacationing in Italy.  Source: AP

ACTOR James Gandolfini has left the bulk of his estimated US$70 million ($77 million) estate to his 13-year-old son and infant daughter.

The late Sopranos star also left millions to his wife and relatives.

The New York Post reports that a will dated December 19 was filed Tuesday in Manhattan Surrogate's Court.

Gandolfini's son, Michael, is to get the largest chunk through a trust set aside for him until he turns 21.

He'll split his father's Italian property with his half-sister, 8-month-old Liliana, when she turns 25.

Michael Gandolfini, left, son of James Gandolfini, arrives for his father's funeral service in New York's the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Thursday, June 27, 2013. Picture: Richard Drew

The newspaper says the remainder of Gandolfini's estate will be split among his wife, sisters and daughter.

He left US$200,000 ($221,000) each to his personal assistant and secretary.

The will is the first and primary filing of his estate; more documents are expected to be filed.

Gandolfini died June 19.

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Smith leaps into first Test mix

Australia's Steve Smith drives for another boundary as he puts up his hand for selection in the first Test with an impressive stint in the middle on day two of the tour match against Worcester. Source: Getty Images

Steve Smith is congratulated by Phil Hughes after reaching his half century. Source: Getty Images

STEVE Smith is making a late charge for next week's first Test at Trent Bridge.

Called into the Ashes squad last week as a reserve batsman, the talented right-hander played a rapid fire innings against Worcester overnight.

Resuming on 21, Smith bolted to 68 not out in the opening hour of day two as Australia raced to 4-396 before Michael Clarke declared. Phil Hughes was 19 not out.

At tea Worcester was 2-155 in reply with recently dumped England opener Nick Compton unbeaten on 71 as a guest player for the county.

Despite his dropping from the Test team Compton is having a good time against Australia, scoring 81 and 34 against the tourists for his county, Somerset, last week.

Smith left Hughes in his wake, adding 47 yesterday as Hughes spent much of the time as a spectator at the other end, creeping from his overnight score of 10.

Smith brought up his half-century with a lovely straight six from spinner Moin Ali after a series of lovely cover and square drives to the boundary.

His 50 came in 70 balls with seven fours and two sixes but yesterday's component was 29 runs in 28 balls with five fours and a six.

Smith had been called up as cover for the suspended David Warner, with concerns about Michael Clarke's back given he missed the entire Champions Trophy.

However because he is playing in Australia's last pre-Ashes warm-up match ahead of Usman Khawaja, Smith is clearly a chance to grab a place in the first Test, which begins next Wednesday.

He had a mixed tour with Australia A leading into this match but scored 133 in a first class match against Ireland last month.

Smith was unlucky not to be part of the original Ashes squad after being one of the few success stories on the disastrous tour of India earlier this year.

He had a modest season for NSW, averaging 37 and failing to score a century, but he was chosen for India on the basis of his ability to play spin and was given an opportunity in the third Test when Shane Watson was among four players suspended for homeworkgate.

With Clarke injured for the last Test Smith kept his place, scoring a total of 161 runs with an average of 40 and a best of 92 in the series.

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Money on Packer to win casino battle

The winning design for James Packer's proposed Barangaroo casino. Source: Supplied

James Packer. Picture: Kym Smith Source: Supplied

IF you follow the so-called "smart money" then James Packer will today achieve what eluded his father - a Sydney casino licence.

Bookmakers are betting on Mr Packer's Crown Ltd winning its battle against Echo Entertainment's The Star when Premier Barry O'Farrell declares his hand this afternoon.

It would end an 19-year wait by the Packer family to enter the Sydney casino market after Kerry Packer missed out on being awarded Sydney's first licence to the Showboat-Leighton consortium in 1994.

A report by an independent panel led by former banking chief David Murray, which assessed the rival billion-dollar proposals by Crown and Echo, is expected to be considered by state cabinet today.

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Mr Packer is proposing a $1.5 billion six-star hotel and casino resort at Barangaroo if the government grants Crown a licence when The Star's exclusive arrangements end in 2019.

In a bid to extend its monopoly, Echo has offered to spend $1.1 billion transforming its Pyrmont venue into an integrated report, featuring two new hotels and a pedestrian bridge across to Barangaroo.

Echo Entertainment tries to get Packer to go VIP-only

Business leaders have suggested the goverment should consider allowing both projects to go ahead, but Mr O'Farrell has said this would be "impossible".

Corporate bookmaker Sportsbet has tightened the odds on Crown winning to $1.30, while Echo was priced at $3 yesterday. After the release of Echo's plan late last month, Crown and Echo were both at $1.85.

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The sharemarket was taking a more subdued view yesterday, with Crown closing 22c down to $11.95, while Echo was 1c down to $3.04.

Kimber Capital head of research Greg Fraser said he expected the Echo shareprice to fall if Crown got the nod.

Winning Barangaroo design from British architects Wilkinson Eyre

s"It's hard to know if a loss has already been factored in, but Echo still has to work hard to generate returns on the previous $870 million investment in The Star," he said.

If Crown enters the Sydney market, it could help dramatically expand the city's take of international VIP revenue in the years ahead, lifting The Star's take as well.

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Acrobat's death shrouded in mystery

Glamour portrait of Sarah Guyard-Guillot taken in March 2012, Las Vegas. Source: Supplied

THE artist who tragically died in a Cirque de Soleil performance has been described by a Melbourne colleague as a vibrant and beautiful girl.

An investigation has been launched into the death of Sarah "Sassoon" Guyard, who was killed when she fell from an elevated stage at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Audience members who witnessed the fall said Guillot-Guyard was one of several performers suspended by a wire during the final scene.

They said she slipped free of her safety wire and dropped into an open pit below.

A performer has died during a Cirque Du Soleil performance in the US. Courtesy ABC News

But other witnesses said the acrobat was still wearing her safety harness when she hit the ground.

No formal cause of death has been issued for the Paris-born performer. A coroner is expected to examine the case.

Daniel Power, who teaches circus at the National Institute of Circus Arts, based in Melbourne, remembered Sarah "Sassoon" Guyard fondly yesterday and was mourning her death.

He worked with her in Cirque du Soleil's permanent Las Vegas show, Ka, in 2006.

"It's such a tragedy that in the blink of an eye she was gone," Mr Power said.

Acrobat dies in Las Vegas fall

"She was such a professional and very determined to succeed, but this is what we, as aerialists and circus artists, all face. It's part and parcel of the job, sadly."

Ms Guyard, born in France, died on Saturday when she fell about 15m during the "Battle Field" finale of Ka at the MGM Grand Casino on the Las Vegas strip.

She was part of the corps, an all-round circus artist who did not have a particular specialty.

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte cancelled the show until further notice.

"I am heartbroken," Mr Laliberte said.

"I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family. We are all completely devastated with this news.

Sarah Guyard-Guillot, who has died during a performance, left, with Sami Tiaumassi perform as Forest People during Cirque du Soleil's Ka at MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas. Source: AP

"We are reminded, with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are each and every night. Our focus now is to support each other as a family."

As Ka is an aerial-based show,the Cirque du Soleil producers enforced even stricter than usual safety standards.

"It's so sad for her family," Mr Power said yesterday.

"It's just a terrible accident. We all had to do high fall training just to be able to perform in the show because there were high risks everywhere."

Ms Guyard had not toured Australia with Cirque du Soleil. It is believed she was 31 and a mother of two.

Cirque du Soleil first toured Australia in 1999 with Saltimbanco, followed by six more tours including Alegria (2001), Quidam (2005), Varekai (2007), Dralion (2008-2009), Saltimbanco (Arena tour in 2011) and OVO (2012-13).

An estimated five million Australians have seen a Cirque du Soleil performance in Australia.

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Retail robbery: How clothing chains cheat staff

A screenshot from the Diva employee intranet shows that staff must wear Diva jewellery, despite the company CEO's denial it is store policy. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

RETAIL staff as young as 15 are being forced to spend their wages on employer-brand clothes when working on the shop floor, and the onus is on them to fix the problem.

As reported last week by news.com.au, employees at Australian chain stores are spending a significant portion of their earnings keeping up to date with current stock.

Under law, employers must reimburse the cost of purchasing the clothing to the employee.

However, news.com.au has received more than 200 emails and comments from frustrated employees who have not been compensated. And both Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten and the retail union say if workers want their money refunded they need to take their claims to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Joe de Bruyn, national secretary of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employee's Union, told news.com.au the only way to fix the problem was for retail workers to be educated on their entitlements.

"Because knowledge about what you are entitled to in the workplace is usually not anything you learn about at school or university and unless a person has a special interest in this they just are ignorant," he said.

"And it's always a difficulty that people are reluctant to put their hand up for what they may know to be their entitlements because they're worried they will be victimised."

Another issue is that some retailers have an official policy that "encourages" staff to wear its brand clothing, but in practice workers are forced to do so.

"You can't have your cake and eat it too by saying it's optional then putting pressure on workers," Mr de Bruyn said.

"It is in effect compulsory even though you're trying to deny it and you can't get out of the award obligation. Effectively what the employer is doing is stealing from the employee."

A spokeswoman for Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said there was no excuse for ripping staff off.

"Under the Fair Work Act an employer can't require an employee to unreasonably spend any of the wages that he or she earns," she said.

"The Minister would encourage any employee in this situation to contact the FWO infoline."

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Last week Diva denied its staff was required to wear five pieces of Diva jewellery at work. But on the Diva employee intranet it clearly states this is a requirement.

"Always wear 5 to keep diva alive!!! Five current diva pieces are to be worn instore [sic] at all times to excite and delight our customers," the statement reads.

"We reward our teams with a very generous discount of 50 per cent to ensure the affordability of keeping up to date with current product."

A number of Forever New employees contacted news.com.au to confirm allegations staff were required to wear the brand's clothing and jewellery at work, despite the company denying it was company policy.

A Forever New spokeswoman told news.com.au that it took the concerns raised "very seriously".

"We are currently reiterating the policy to our managers, to ensure that all Forever New employees understand that it is not compulsory to wear Forever New product," she said.

Many retail workers have sent their story to news.com.au. A 17-year-old Supre employee, who wishes to remain anonymous, said photos of shop floor employees' outfits were taken and sent to head office to be checked.

The employee said the staff have a set uniform of Supre clothing they were told about ahead of their shifts.

"I'll ring my boss and the boss will say 'The uniform today is the new jeggings, a jumper and a scarf'. It changes all the time," she said.

"We get photos taken of us every day we work and that gets sent to head office, and if we're not wearing [the uniform] my boss gets in trouble. If I'm not wearing the uniform my boss won't let me be in the photo."

A Supre spokeswoman declined to comment.

Courtney Thiele, 19, a store manager at clothing chain ICE Design told news.com.au that she gets pressure from head office to wear new season clothes, and has been told that her outfit must cost at least $50.

"Not only do we have to be wearing new clothes we have to be wearing new shoes," Ms Thiele said.

"I've got 15-year-old girls in my store and they've got their parents to come in and buy clothes for them because they've got to be up to date."

She said staff received 75 per cent off 'hot pick' items and 40 per cent off all other stock, but the discount was void once staff have spent $300.

ICE Design chief operating officer Gavin Fielding denied the retailer pressured staff to wear the brand's clothing.

"I'm very much aware of the Fair Work Act. It's not actually policy to wear the clothing. It's not a uniform," Mr Fielding said.

"Our 'hot picks' are an incentive. It's a suggested item that we put forward to our staff at cost price and it's a way to encourage them to wear it."

A former Lorna Jane employee told news.com.au the company policy stated that it was optional for staff to wear the brand's clothing, but her area manager pressured her to wear current season tops.

"They know how to word it without crossing the line, very sneaky and sad for current and past staff," she said.

A Lorna Jane spokeswoman said Lorna Jane fully complies with the Fair Work Act.

"Whilst we encourage staff to wear our clothing and offer discounts and staff incentives, we have a pro-choice policy. We have produced a video and signage in store to ensure our team are aware of alternatives to wear and are treated fairly. During all staff inductions, we speak openly to staff and ensure they are clear of other clothing options," she said.

An employee of chain store Metalicus, who do not wish to be named, told news.com.au she has spent about $2500 in just over a year on clothing she was required to wear at work.

"Metalicus employees have to wear head to toe Metalicus every shift, with at least one current item in store, and unfortunately casual employees only get 50 per cent off clothing," she said.

Metalicus declined to comment.

Any worker who has a concern about this issue should lodge a complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman either via the website at www.fairwork.gov.au or by calling the Infoline on 13 13 94.

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Teacher wears same outfit for 40 years

Teacher Dale Irby wore the same outfit in his yearbook photo every year for 40 years. Source: Supplied

• Teacher wore same outfit in yearbook for 40 years
• He accidentally wore same outfit two years running
• Wife dared him to keep the joke running, so he did

EVERYBODY had one teacher who came to school dressed in exactly the same outfit every day.

You'd spend hours laughing with your friends about whether he bought five pairs of trousers, shirts and vests, one for every school day or whether he simply threw everything in the wash overnight only to be reworn the next day.

Or did he even wash his clothes at all?

Plus why, when he'd been free from the constraints of a compulsory school uniform since his late teens, did he choose to don a uniform of his own? What did he wear on weekends?

Well, a school teacher from Dallas, Texas has answered all these childhood questions. Dale Irby wore the same polyester shirt and vest for his yearbook photo for 40 years.

Irby said what started off as an accident became a running joke that never got old.

A sports teacher, Irby usually wore athletic clothes suitable for exercise.

He picked the vest and shirt combination in order to look presentable for his first yearbook photo in 1973 and accidentally repeated the outfit the following year.

"I was so embarrassed when I got the school pictures back that second year and realised I had worn the very same thing as the first year," he told the Dallas Morning News.

Irby's wife, Cathy dared him to repeat the outfit for a third year. In the spirit of one-upmanship Irby continued the joke for a further five years, after which he thought "why stop?"

Sadly, Irby retired this year after 40 years of teaching. Whether he plans to retire the running joke is unknown.

Watch the slideshow of the entire 40 year ensemble below.

Mashable via Dallas Morning News

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Brosnan's girl loses cancer fight

Charlotte Brosnan, daughter of Pierce Brosnan, has died of cancer. She was 42. They are pictured here arriving at BAFTAs at the Odeon Leicester Square in 2006. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

ACTOR Pierce Brosnan is devastated after his daughter lost her three-year battle with ovarian cancer.

Charlotte Brosnan passed away on Friday, aged 41, from the same disease that killed her mother, Australian actress Cassandra Harris, in 1991.

"On June 28 at 2pm my darling daughter Charlotte Emily passed on to eternal life, having succumbed to ovarian cancer. She was surrounded by her husband Alex, her children Isabella and Lucas and her brothers Christopher and Sean," Brosnan said in a statement.

Brosnan's girl loses cancer fight Source: Getty Images

"Charlotte fought her cancer with grace and humanity, courage and dignity. Our hearts are heavy with the loss of our beautiful dear girl. We pray for her and that the cure for this wretched disease will be close at hand soon. We thank everyone for their heartfelt condolences."

The former Bond star married Harris in 1980, and adopted Charlotte and her brother Christopher after their father's death in 1986.

Brosnan and Harris also went on to have a son together, named Sean.

The actor is now married to journalist Keely Shaye Smith, with whom he has two boys, 16-year-old Dylan and Paris, 12.

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Lion tamers take series to the wire

Wallabies captain James Horwill and Sekope Kepu roar with delight after beating the British and Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: Herald Sun

A BOLD captain's call and a nerveless conversion by a second-game "debutant" saw the Wallabies snatch a thrilling victory over the Lions in Melbourne.

Rookie Wallaby Christian Lealiifano went from out-cold in Brisbane to ice-cold last night when he slotted a 76th minute goal from near the sideline, which lifted the Wallabies to a 16-15 win and kept the Test series alive heading to Sydney.

The kick from Lealiifano, who was knocked out in the opening minute in the first Test, came after the Wallabies clawed their way back in a mistake-riddled performance to score the game's only try through centre Adam Ashley-Cooper with just four minutes left.

Trailing 15-9 and with the Lions sensing their first series triumph since 1997 was in hand, Wallabies skipper James Horwill turned down a kickable penalty with nine minutes left to push for a winning try with a scrum on the red line.

Putting aside a mountain of errors, the Wallabies managed to hold on to the ball long enough for under-siege five-eighth James O'Connor to put Ashley-Cooper through a gap and light up the record 56,771 crowd.

Hometown boy Lealiifano, who Robbie Deans joked was "on his real debut", kicked the goal but the Wallabies then had to wait nervously as Lions superboot Leigh Halfpenny took a potential match-winning kick after the siren.

From 50 metres out, though, the kick fell short, and the Wallabies' victory sent both teams to Sydney next Saturday night to sort out the ultimate winner.

British and Irish Lions rugby halfback Ben Youngs (C) is surrounded by Australian Wallabies in their rugby second Test match in Melbourne.

"I am very proud. They don't get any bigger than that. They showed enough composure to get it done. Very proud," said Deans.

Horwill said he was very nervous watching Halfpenny - who had nailed five earlier penalties - line up his kick.

"Yeah, he has hardly missed a kick all tour, so your pulse rate certainly goes up," Horwill said.

"There was a bit of relief to be honest, and jubilation. The boys worked hard for that. Not everything went right. We didn't execute as well as we could have but we found a way to win. That's what you need to do, find a way to win."

The Lions' had injury added to insult, as well, with skipper Sam Warburton suffering a suspected torn hamstring, placing him in major doubt for the third Test.

With Horwill having to face a second IRB judicial hearing tomorrow night, it could see both skippers sidelined.

Horwill was relishing the victory last night, however, which he said was built on character and attitude.

Wallabies centre Christian Lealiifano celebrates victory in the second Test against the British and Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Mark Metcalfe

The game was a stop-stop stinker, for the most part, with penalties, pedantic refereeing and a huge number of nervous errors from both sides, but the Wallabies hung in.

"It wasn't the prettiest game of rugby, it wasn't as entertaining as last week's game with only one try in it, but we found a way to win and that's the most important part," Horwill said.

"The guys keep fronting up, no matter what it is happening. No matter what the score is. As a captain of a team, you couldn't ask anything more of the group.

"The attitude and character of a group is something you can't coach. You can't sit on a training field and say, this is what you have to do to show character and attitude. It is something that comes from within and it is very pleasing to see how much it means to everyone in our group to pull on this jersey."

Asked about his call to push for a scrum at the end, instead of taking the points and coming back, Horwill said the Wallabies wanted to go for the kill.

"We knew what we had to do to get over the stripe. We were obviously down by six, and we'd struggled to build pressure all night. The Lions were good at the breakdown, and were very destructive. We had to build pressure and I felt that was the time to do it," he said.

The momentum shifts to the Wallabies heading to Sydney, just as it did in 2001. But Lions coach Warren Gatland said his players would not find it tough to bounce back psychologically for the finale.

Wallabies centre Christian Lealiifano kicks at goal during the second Test against the British and Irish Lions at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Mark Kolbe

"I don't think it will be tough at all, the guys realise how tough it is, they realise how close it is," Gatland said.

"When we go back and look at the tapes they will realise how close we came to holding Australia out."

AUSTRALIA 16 (Adam Ashley-Cooper try Christian Leali'ifano con 3 pens) bt LIONS 15 (Leigh Halfpenny 5 pens) at Etihad Stadium. Referee: Craig Joubert. Crowd: 56,771.

MATCH CENTRE: Wallabies v British and Irish Lions

GALLERY: ALL THE ACTION FROM ETIHAD STADIUM

Replay all the action from the game below with our match blog.

On a mobile device? Click here for a better viewing experience

News+ subscribers* can watch a full replay of the match right here.

*News+ available on Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, Courier-Mail, AdelaideNow and PerthNow.

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Melissa to return to the news desk

After her leaving announcement on Sunrise, Melissa Doyle broke down in tears. Courtesy: Sunrise Seven Network

Outgoing Sunrise host is heading back to the news desk. Source: The Daily Telegraph

SEVEN is yet to announce its big plan for outgoing Sunrise host Melissa Doyle but Confidential can reveal the popular journalist will spearhead the network's revamped news coverage.

And they're bringing back Matt White to join her on the news desk.

Details are a close-kept secret but Confidential understands a major announcement is imminent.

"A substantial amount of development is being done in the news and public affairs department," a Seven spokesman said.

"Many of our most valued and well respected journalists and reporters will be involved. Details will be announced in forthcoming weeks."

Also involved in the redesign will be senior journalists including Chris Reason, Angela Cox and Mike Amor.

TV's greatest rivalries

David Koch and Mel Doyle vs Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic The Sunrise hosts and their Today rivals have long been vying for the top ratings slot. Source: The Sunday Telegraph

White originally fronted Today Tonight but was replaced by the less than impressive Helen Kapalos in the hot seat earlier this year.

He has most recently been involved in sports coverage for the network but is expected to return to a presenting role alongside Doyle at 4.30pm on weekday afternoons.

That project is being overseen by Rob Raschke, who was moved from his post in Brisbane last year to take up the role of the network's national news director.

As well as covering big news stories, Doyle will also front a new prime-time current affairs style show on Seven's digital channel, 7TWO.

Despite rumours Today Tonight was facing the chop following Kapalos's on-air blunder last week, sources say it will remain on the schedule for the "immediate future".

"It is looking shaky but it will likely stay until the end of the year," a well-placed source told us.

After 14 years on the show, Doyle announced her surprise departure from Sunrise earlier this month.

She is understood to be a pivotal player in Seven's attempt to wrangle back its previously-held dominance in television news.

Samantha Armytage replaced Doyle on top-rating breakfast show, Sunrise, which was deemed to need a "freshen up" before Channel Ten's much publicised new breakfast offering goes to air later this year.

Audience Development Australia chief executive David Castran said Doyle was a good choice because of her experience hosting live TV.

"Melissa Doyle has great affinity with a TV audience and is much loved," Castran said. "She would bring warmth and sincerity to the role. And it's a positive sign they are investing in the digital channels. That's good news for viewers."

OUR INSIDER REVEALS WHO'S ON THEIR WAY UP, AND WHO'S ON THEIR WAY OUT:

Hot -

1 Adam Hills (Adam Hills Tonight)
2 Hamish Blake (and Andy Lee – Gap Year)
3 Johanna Griggs (House Rules)
4 Carrie Bickmore (The Project)
5 Steve Peacock (Home and Away)
6 Rihannon Fish (Home and Away)
7 David Speers (Sky News)
8 Hamish McDonald (Ten Late News and The Truth Is?)
9 Janice Peterson (SBS News)
10 Matt Doran (Ten Late News/ Wanted)

Not -
1 Delta Goodrem (The Voice)
2 Helen Kapalos (Today Tonight)
3 Chrissie Swan (Can of Worms)
4 Hugh Sheridan (Rafters)
5 Scott Cam (The Block)
6 Simon Baker (The Mentalist)
7 Matt Preston (Masterchef)
8 George Calombaris (Masterchef)
9 Hayley Lewis (Biggest Loser)
10 Andrew O Keefe (Deal or No Deal)
 

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