Today I can report exclusively to the reader of The Bug that jockeying is well under way within the national broadcaster by ABC personalities eager to fill the vacancy about to be created by the departure of Tony Armstrong from ABC News Breakfast.

My sources within the ABC tell me that since Armstrong announced he was leaving the morning show – which on some days attracts hundreds of viewers across the nation – other big-name ABC employees (main picture) have been literally walking the corridors in and around the offices of News Breakfast hoping to attract the attention of its producers as they settle on who will fill his spot.

“I don’t envy the job of the producers who’ll need to make a decision soon on who’ll replace Tony,” one source said.

“He certainly made his mark on News Breakfast and brought with him something undefinable that any of his would-be replacements will find hard to replicate.

“Nobody can say for sure what the mystery x-factor is that Tony has, but those seeking to replace him are doing all they can to try to mimic it, some more successfully than others.

“Those who think they might be in the running are also not shy in plugging themselves to the decision-makers.

“For instance, Annabel Crabb has obviously noted that Tony’s heritage has been a factor in his popularity, so she is now touting herself as ‘a proud Hurlstone Park woman’.

“I also know that David Speers has asked the ABC’s make-up artists to buy in extra heavy and darker foundation cream and powder – almost charcoal – before this Sunday’s edition of Insiders,” the source said.

I will keep The Bug reader abreast of developments as they happen, and that includes revealing – hopefully soon – the new role Tony Armstrong will undertake at the ABC in coming months.

I can’t say too much right now, but I can say that he has been seen in the Sydney ABC costume department trying on Jimmy Giggle’s old outfits.

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