professorkamrankhan@gmail.com 
Another popular Channel Nine presenter is set to depart the network, one day after 9News Melbourne journalist Lana Murphy announced her maternity leave following a shock on-air gaffe.
Today reporter Iza Staskowski was on-air Friday reporting from a Melbourne creek discoloured from a chemical spill, when she shared the news that she too was going on maternity leave.
‘Iza, just before you go and we go… like maybe to the hospital, we want to wish you all the very best,’ Today host Karl Stefanovic said.
‘How are you feeling?’
Iza, who joined the breakfast program in 2019, beamed with anticipation ahead of her farewell.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail’s new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
Popular Channel Nine presenter Iza Staskowski is set to depart the network, one day after 9News Melbourne journalist Lana Murphy announced her maternity leave
The Melbourne reporter and her fiancé, Drew Jones, are expecting their first child together in several weeks.
Iza wore a bright red coat that covered her figure on camera, but pulled it back to reveal her baby bump to viewers, with the microphone still in hand.
‘I’m feeling really good, guys, really lucky and really, really excited for this next chapter with my partner Drew and our little bubba,’ she told the team in the studio.
Today hosts Karl and Sarah Abo surprised Iza at that momen with a large bouquet of flowers and a wrapped Today show onesie for the soon-to-be newest team member.
‘It’s so exciting, Iza, we are absolutely pumped for you,’ Karl said.
‘You look beautiful,’ Sarah added.
‘The pair of you are going to be such incredible parents. Your mat leave starts today and we’re going to miss you so much.’
Iza could barely contain her joy as she was handed the thoughtful presents.
Today reporter Iza and her fiancé Drew Jones (left) are expecting their first child together in several weeks
Iza, who joined the breakfast program in 2019, announced her maternity leave on Friday
‘Mat leave starts right now!’ she enthused. ‘Thank you guys so much.’
‘We love you, Iza,’ Karl added.
‘Thanks for the all hard work and good luck with everything that’s coming to you in the next couple of weeks.
‘We couldn’t think of a better place to send you today than to a toxic algae outbreak,’ he joked.
Iza is the second Melbourne reporter to depart the Nine network in as many days, with her 9News colleague Lana Murphy leaving on Thursday.
Lana, 31, shared a post to Instagram on Wednesday night revealing she was going on maternity leave, just days after forgetting her script during a live report and ad-libbing nonsense.
Lana posted a gallery of photos, one of which captured her showing off her growing baby bump while presenting the weather.
The journalist looked radiant in the photo as she announced she’d be taking time off to prepare for her second child.
9News Melbourne journalist Lana Murphy, 31, announced she was going on maternity leave on Thursday, just days after forgetting her script during a live report and ad-libbing nonsense
‘Bumping the east coast out of shot while bumping out of my role at Nine News Melbourne for a few months, eek!’ she wrote.
‘Final story, bathroom bump selfie, PTC & sign off. Got to work with some of my favourite humans on earth. What a dream.’
Many of Lana’s Channel Nine colleagues took to the comment section to offer her their well wishes.
‘Best wishes for what’s coming, Lana! Cheers,’ wrote fellow presenter Peter Hitchener.
Today show co-host Sarah Abo also posted a love heart emoji.
This will be the second child for Lana and her partner, Nick Riddle, who already share a young son, Bowie.
Lana’s departure follows a widely shared moment when she forgot her script during a live broadcast and ad-libbed to fill the time — an incident that seemed to endear her more to viewers.
She took to TikTok last week to own up to her mistake.
Lana shared a clip that showed her delivering a seemingly innocuous report about school holiday activities in Melbourne.
The segment quickly derailed when Lana clearly forgot her script.
It seems her ad-libbing abilities may need some work, with the reporter uttering a string of unintelligible filler words.
‘We will have a full list of all the possible school holiday activities and…’ she said, before pausing briefly in an attempt to remember her lines.
‘Dib-a-dib-a-dib-a-dib-a-doo’ was all Lana could muster before finally getting back on track.
