'Breakfast' host's special pounamu gift for Matty McLean before he joins The Hits in 2024

It’s been an emotional week for the Breakfast team as they say goodbye to the one and only Matty McLean as he leaves TV to start his new role as The Hits Drive show host in 2024. 

Speaking to the Herald before his final day, McLean reveals that once he made his decision to leave the show after more than 16 years, he had concerns about how it was going to be received by the public and his on-screen family. 

“When I resigned from TVNZ, it was such a big deal for me,” he says, adding, “I did worry about how it might be received, how people would feel about it and whether they’d be mad or annoyed or think I was making a mistake.” 

Fortunately for the 37-year-old host, the response has been anything but that, “Everyone has just been so loving and supportive and really excited for me, which makes it so much easier for me to be excited about this new chapter.” 

His week-long goodbye has shown how supportive his Breakfast whānau have been. Making sure his last hurrah has been a good one, the show has put on Matty’s Eras Tour — inspired by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour — with a short segment every day this week to “explore the many eras of “the one and only Matty McLean”. 

It’s been really special for McLean, who says, “Everyone has just made it very heart-warming for me to leave and to leave on a real high, I just feel like I couldn’t have asked for anything more in my exit of the show.” 

McLean’s final day on Breakfast coincided with the programme’s final show of the year meaning it was full of Christmas festivities, plenty of kai and special guests — including his husband Ryan, but the real tear-jerker came when the entire Breakfast cast, crew and audience gathered around to watch a montage of McLean’s best moments. 

Reminiscing on the time he jumped the fence at Premier House during a live cross, to eating the world’s second-hottest chilli, to all his dancing on-air moments, things took a sentimental turn when the four co-hosts sat on the couch for the very last time and McLean’s parents, Tracey and Steve, joined them. 

“This is such a surprise,” McLean said, shocked, with his parents gushing over how proud they are of him. However, in true Breakfast fashion, there were a few giggles, especially when Burns-Francis asked McLean’s mum what she thought about him jumping the Premiere House fence. 

“Luckily, I didn’t see it,” she chuckled before jokingly adding, “Did I not teach you not to bow to peer pressure?” 

Clarkson then began tearing up as she presented the star with a Niho pounamu, “Thank you for being you,” she said adding, “Thank you for the past however many years, Merry Christmas and I can’t wait to see how you flourish in your next role,” she told her friend. 

McLean signed off his last Breakfast show thanking viewers for their support throughout the years, “You’ve been so beautiful in the way you’ve embraced me and let me be me.” He said before telling his now former co-hosts, “I’m going to be cheering you on from home.” 

In the New Year Matty will join PJ Harding on the newly announced The Hits Drive show. 

“I’m so ready to have some fun,” he says, “And man, to be able to do that with PJ? She’s just such a legend, I love her so much. We did publicity photos last week and I just was in hysterics the whole time, she’s so funny, and so yeah, I’m really excited.” 

As for how the host wants to be remembered for his time on Breakfast, McLean admits he has one simple wish: 

“All I’ve ever wanted to do is to make people smile. There’s so many things going on in our world, right, and life can be really heavy sometimes, and especially these last few years. It’s just felt like everything is against us sometimes so I just hope that I’ve been able to put smiles on people’s faces. 

“Does that sound cheesy?” he chuckles, “I hope it doesn’t sound cheesy.” 

Since his TVNZ debut in 2007, McLean has worked as a reporter, presenter, and weatherman, and even did a couple of stints on Celebrity Treasure Island, Seven Sharp and of course, his most well-known and loved role as a Breakfast co-host. 

Matty will be joining The Hits Drive show along with PJ Harding in 2024.

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.