After seven-and-a-half years of waking up at an hour most of us would consider an act of aggression, Today show favourite Tim Davies has announced he is moving on.

The much-loved weather presenter revealed the news live on air on Friday morning, confirming he will deliver his final forecast on September 18 after more than seven years travelling Australia – and plenty of the world – for the Nine breakfast program.

And while his colleagues weren’t exactly thrilled to hear it, Davies’ departure sounds less like goodbye and more like a well-earned opportunity to finally discover what happens after about 9am.

“For more than 7½ years, I’ve had the great honour of greeting you of a morning with your daily forecast, most often from some of the most remote or picturesque places on our planet,” a tearful Davies told viewers as he broadcast live from the Gold Coast.

“I’ve had the job of highlighting local heroes, sharing really good news stories, showcasing communities, clubs, schools and various organisations across this big brown land of ours.

“And gee whiz, we have clocked up some kilometres in doing that, both on the ground and in the air, appearing from somewhere completely different.”

Davies joined Today in 2019 and quickly became one of the show’s most familiar faces, thanks in no small part to a job description that appeared to consist of telling Australians whether they needed an umbrella while simultaneously being asked to do something mildly terrifying.

Over the years, he’s been sent just about everywhere and tried just about everything.

“Pretty much every single day I have jumped, I have dived, I have skied, I have zipped, dipped and flipped. You name it, I have done it,” Davies said.

“And most importantly, I survived to tell the tale, which I think is important.”

But behind the laughs and increasingly adventurous weather crosses, Davies also used his enormous amount of time on the road to shine a national spotlight on regional communities, sporting clubs, schools, charities and everyday Australians doing remarkable things.

It was that connection with viewers, he said, that became one of the greatest parts of the job. “Thank you for allowing me into your homes and into your lives each morning,” Davies said, fondly recalling the countless conversations with viewers – often in airports and occasionally while simply trying to get through the supermarket.

“Being the lucky one on our team to be out and about with you every day, I’ve had the most amount of time engaging with our incredible audience, and that has by far been one of the greatest highlights of this role.”

Back in the Today studio, Davies’ colleagues made it abundantly clear they weren’t ready to let him disappear quietly.

“Timmy … beautiful words, mate, but we’re not very happy about this,” Richard Wilkins told him as the studio erupted in applause.

Nine’s Director of Morning Television Steven Burling said Davies would leave “enormous shoes to fill”, praising the presenter for giving small towns, communities and their causes a national platform during his years on the program.

Davies himself perhaps summed up his stint best. “People always tell me I’ve got the best job in TV and they’re not wrong,” he said. “Working alongside the best broadcasters, travelling to new destinations daily and showcasing incredible Aussies is a privilege.”

For now, Davies plans to step back, enjoy the almost unimaginable luxury of a sleep-in and take a break without a camera crew following him around before preparing for whatever comes next.

His replacement on Today has not yet been announced. And after seven-and-a-half years of zipped, dipped, flipped and occasionally freezing forecasts, we’d suggest Davies has earned the right to spend at least a few mornings waking up, looking out the window and deciding the weather can sort itself out.

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