Sunrise's Mark Beretta reveals why he never wanted Kochie's job

After working together for over 20 years, Sunrise's sports presenter Mark Beretta has revealed why he never wanted to take on David 'Kochie' Koch's gig as the show's host.

Kochie announced his replacement on Monday morning, revealing regular fill-in host Matt Shirvington will be taking on his role opposite co-host Natalie Barr.

Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle, Mark shares it was never on his mind to go for Kochie's job.

"Look, I'm really selfish, I love what I do too much," he says. "I love sport, I love the people, it's my passion – I get to work in my passion. And it keeps me connecting with things, like I get to go to the Olympic Games, I've been to 13 Summer and Winter Olympic Games. And, you know, it's a different life when you're in that seat.

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"I'm really happy, I'm thrilled for Shirvo, because I've known him obviously a long, long time and he's a lovely guy and to have him come in and take that role, personally I couldn't think of anyone better."

The presenter adds that whoever is in that role acknowledges the significance of it and the part they play in Australian homes.

"We really had to cover that position because it's important to people, to a lot of people in the morning, we're sort of like their family. You know, a lot of people who have either moved interstate, or they've gone off to uni, or they had a baby, and they're up really early in the morning – we really do become their family, so it's not lost on us the importance of the role and having the right people in the right place.

"Shirvo is that guy, he also cares about people, he's got a big heart and he'll go really well."

The Seven star jokes that there will be some hazing for Shirvo when he joins the show full-time next Monday.

"Nasty, nasty stuff," he says with a laugh. "He'll have to spend half a day in the Cash Cow outfit, so he's got that to look forward to. We'll make him walk up and down Martin Place in the Cash Cow outfit for a while, but yeah, look, we're going to come up with something special."

'Kochie wanted to wind up for a while'

Mark also says it was a 'shock' to find out Kochie would be wrapping up his time on the show, telling us he'll 'miss him' but is happy for the host to take on his next chapter.

"Kochie has wanted to wind up for a little while, and we've had a change of management and work had asked him to stay on as long as he could," the sports presenter tells us. "It's not easy for him to leave Sunrise, you know, it's in his blood, it's his DNA, he really did so much to build that show and obviously no one wants him to leave, we don't want him to leave, because it's a ratings machine – 20 years in a row we've been the number one breakfast show, so you don't start pulling that team apart lightly."

Mark continues: "I sit next to that guy every morning for four and a half hours, and honestly, every day's magic, you know, he's just a beautiful man, and he understands people.

"The biggest thing about Kochie, and what makes him different to anyone else, is he really cares for people, and a lot of people say they do, but he actually really is, and he follows up things with people, he reaches out to people in ways you would never imagine."

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