TV3's Sunrise off to a wobbly start

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DOUBLE ACT: Carly Flynn and James Coleman kicked off the first edition of TV3'S Sunrise - in direct competition to TV One's Breakfast.

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After much hype TV3's new flagship breakfast show Sunrise began with a bit of a whimper this morning.
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Hosts Carly Flynn and James Coleman looked a little startled to be up at 6.30am and uncertain what to say.

"Welcome to you, our inaugural viewers ... all two of you" joked Coleman.

"Hi mum and dad," said Flynn.

The 6.30am start was preceeded by an advert for the new Season of Heroes which ends with a voiceover promising a "new beginning".

Was TV3 trying to say something?

TV3 said that Sunrise aimed to "liven up mornings with half-hourly news, sport, business and weather updates".

Format-wise Sunrise is pretty much a direct copy of Australia's popular Today show.

James Coleman seemed to be trying to copy rival Paul Henry's presenting style - until he was caught on camera rifling through the wastepaper basket looking for his script.

Carly Flyn brought a bright and breezy smile to morning television.

There were live crosses to Mike McRoberts in Paris to discuss what the All Blacks were up to and a segment on Hollywood gossip.

The hot topics of discussion weren't that hot.

Bill Ralston and Jacqui Brown joined the co-hosts to ponder whether figurines of the All Blacks could be used to predict injury (apparently the Dan Carter version doesn't stand up).

As the show went on the hosts' level of confidence grew, as did their banter.

Josh the weatherboy seemed a little uncomfortable, but that could have been because he was standing outside in a carpark in Chilly Auckland.

Throughout the show the co-hosts read out emails from viewers that were mostly positive, one reader commenting that the ticker tape on the bottom of the screen was too small to read.

- © Fairfax NZ News