Jessica Rowe's big television comeback
It's been over three years since viewers tuned in to watch Jessica Rowe on our screens, and speculation mounts that she's ready for a comeback.
And now, Woman's Day can confirm she's returning to TV on Australia's most popular breakfast show.
Last week, the former Studio 10 star was spotted catching up with the executive producer of Sunrise, Michael Pell, and while the pair are close friends, a TV insider insists there was plenty of talk about business too.
"He's her number one fan, and what Michael Pell wants, he generally gets. The seed has been planted to get Jess in a role that they are specifically creating for her."
"Seven have been eyeing Jess off since she left Ten in 2018, and Michael would be the right person to court her back into the new mix at Seven's Brekky Central," the source tells Woman's Day.
Jess quit Studio 10 in March 2018, later admitting that she had been close to breaking point towards the end of her time on the show.
The 51-year-old has spoken candidly about her struggles with anxiety and depression in the past, and was looking forward to spending more time with her husband, Peter Overton, and their two daughters, Allegra, 14, and Giselle, 12.
Despite the success she garnered from her Crap Housewife blog, Jess recently spoke about getting back in front of the cameras.
"What I do miss is having an audience to play up to," says the Beyond Blue ambassador.
"Nowadays I find myself doing a song and dance routine for my daughters – not that successfully!"
According to an insider, Jess can be a liability given her shaky past with Today, Weekend Sunrise and Studio 10.
"She can be polarising, and Seven will only bring her into the Sunrise and The Morning Show mix as a special reporter or presenter around current issues like mental health or parenting," the source tells Woman's Day.
"But Jess reads a room better than anyone and she will only return to TV if the job and fit is right."
Having walked from a high-profile, high-paying role before, Jess is also unlikely to sign on if there's any drama with her would-be colleagues.
Adds the source, "The real issue Seven have is how a huge personality like Jess will be received by the morning teams. Jess is such a passionate person and can appear zany and over the top, while Nat [Barr] and Edwina [Bartholomew] are both very calm and measured."
But despite it all, Jess has decades' worth of experience in journalism and TV, which will prove to be worthwhile in the long run.
"If Jess comes on board, she can slot in anywhere – newsreading, presenting, even the weather!" says the insider.