Changes coming to ThreeNews anchor lineup

Friday, 31 January 2025

Stuff journalists Laura Tupou and Imogen Wells.

Changes are coming to Stuff and ThreeNews, with weekend anchor Laura Tupou moving into Stuff’s weather correspondent role next month and Stuff reporter and audio host Imogen Wells stepping up to fill Tupou’s position on the weekends.

Tupou said after seven months of news reporting, and as weekend presenter, she was looking forward to sinking her teeth into Kiwis’ favourite news topic, weather, with a focus on the climate and our environment.

“I never shy away from a challenge - if anything I run towards them,” she said.

Tupou majored in environmental planning at university, advancing her knowledge and understanding of sustainability and the effects of climate change. She has also been preparing and presenting the weather segment on ThreeNews each weekend, communicating the forecast and showcasing viewer weather photos from across the motu.

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“I know how passionate Kiwis are about the weather - what high their town had that day, and what lies ahead. It’s a hugely important role and is becoming more so with a higher frequency of major weather events,” she said. “I’m stoked to be in people’s homes Monday to Friday and am ready to rise to the challenge.”

Wells, stepping up to the position of weekend news anchor, said she was pumped after getting a first taste of being behind the ThreeNews desk as a fill-in presenter late last year.

“I totally caught the bug so I cannot wait to get stuck into this new role. When I left Newshub and TV broadcasting two years ago, one of my producers told me I’d be back, and look where we are now!”

Wells has honed her broadcast skills at Stuff, hosting a daily news podcast for two years and reporting from Paris during the 2024 Olympics. Wells has also had stints at Newshub and TVNZ across a variety of TV news programmes.

Stuff Digital Managing Director Nadia Tolich said both Tupou and Wells would bring a wealth of experience and energy to their new roles.

“Laura and Imogen are exceptional journalists, and I could not be more proud of their successes. It’s fantastic that Laura will now be on air every night, breaking down all the weather news that we know Kiwis can’t get enough of,” she said.

“Imogen has proven her skills as a broadcast talent time and again during her time at Stuff and I know she will thrive in this new chapter of her journalistic career.” Tupou joins the weeknight team of ThreeNews anchor Samantha Hayes and sport presenter Ollie Ritchie from February 10. Wells’ first weekend bulletin will be on February 15.