Danika Mason tears up as she confirms she is quitting the Today show after her ‘contract negotiations broke down following her slurring Winter Olympics saga’: ‘Tough decision’

Danika Mason is officially leaving the Today show.

The sports reporter, who is expecting her first child with NRL star Liam Knight, tearfully made the announcement on the Channel Nine breakfast show on Friday morning following reports of her impending departure.

‘I am going on maternity leave as we are probably all aware, but I have had to make the decision of what I am going to do when I come back next year,’ she told her co-stars Tom Steinfort, Sylvia Jeffreys and Jayne Azzopardi. 

‘Obviously juggling all my NRL commitments, the Today show and a new baby as well, something had to give. So I have made the pretty tough decision. So, when I return next year, I won’t be coming back to the show.’

‘I have absolutely loved my time with everyone. We have had the best audience and we have the best team.  And it has been an absolute just such a fun two years, and everyone who is in here in the morning, all our floor crew, you guys are just amazing and I’ve had the best time.’

Tom, Sylvia and Jayne expressed their sorrow at the news, telling Danika that she will be thoroughly missed. 

Danika joked that she will ‘still be waking up early’, but not for work, after welcoming her first child. 

‘You never know what can happen in the future, so for now we’re so excited about this next chapter, but something had to give,’ she added. 

The Today show’s Instagram has since uploaded a tribute to Danika, writing: ‘Today we say farewell to our beloved Danika Mason as she steps away from the show to start an exciting new chapter.’ 

Meanwhile, according to New Corp, Mason’s decision to depart the Today show came after contract negotiations with network bosses broke down.

Bosses were unable to meet Mason’s salary demands, with the presenter reportedly earning $300,000 a year currently.  

She ‘lost the backing of key executives’ after her world-famous Italian Alps segment back in February, when the presenter appeared to slur her words during a live cross. 

The bizarre segment saw Mason struggle to deliver her sports bulletin about the Winter Olympics, veer off on tangents about coffee prices in the United States and make an unusual reference to iguanas, leaving viewers and her colleagues baffled.

At one point, she even made snow angels as the broadcast descended into chaos.

Mason later admitted she had been drinking alcohol before going on air and issued a heartfelt apology to viewers, conceding she had misjudged the situation. 

Nine bosses were reportedly ’embarrassed’ by the incident.

Danika, 35, has been a regular fixture on the Channel Nine breakfast show since last year. 

On Thursday, Danika shared a photo on social media flaunting her growing baby bump alongside new presenter Sylvia Jeffreys, captioning it ‘large and in charge.’

Danika’s decision to leave the Today show comes after a series of shock departures from the program.

Last month, the program’s longtime weatherman Tim Davies shared an emotional farewell with viewers as he bid goodbye after seven years on the show.

The beloved presenter, 42, signed off surrounded by his colleagues, with producers surprising him with a series of special visits throughout his final broadcast.

Among them was an appearance by Davies’ original producer Gerry Campbell, as well as Qantas staff and members of the Australian Girls Choir.

Davies became visibly emotional as he thanked his colleagues for their support over the past seven years.

Meanwhile, former co-host Sarah Abo also left the show in September after reportedly expressing her disappointment to senior Nine executives over the handling of Stefanovic’s termination before beginning her maternity leave in July.

Stefanovic’s departure in June followed his controversial interview with far-right figure Tommy Robinson for his podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.

The interview was uploaded to YouTube before being deleted hours later following a backlash.

Nine subsequently told Daily Mail that Stefanovic could not continue working at the network while also hosting his podcast.

He was abruptly removed from Today despite previously being expected to remain with the breakfast program until the end of the year.

According to News Corp, Abo’s support for her co-host further strained her relationship with Nine, which had reportedly already questioned whether the presenting partnership was working.

Nine later confirmed Abo’s departure, despite reportedly offering her another position.

In her farewell statement, Abo described motherhood as the beginning of a ‘new chapter’ and thanked viewers for welcoming her into their homes.

‘Without you, there is no Today show,’ she said.

She also paid tribute to her colleagues, saying the demanding early starts were easier when the team felt like family.

‘I’ll miss you all dearly.’

Sylvia Jeffreys and Tom Steinfort were confirmed as the replacement Today hosting team last month.