Jenny-May Clarkson left TVNZ’s Breakfast on 21 November 2025, came back to front TVNZ’s Winter Paralympics coverage in March 2026, and has since been building an online confidence course of her own. The former Silver Fern is 52, married to Dean Clarkson, and mum to nine-year-old twin boys.
Almost a year on from her last 6am sign-off, Kiwis are still typing “Jenny-May Clarkson new job” and “what is Jenny-May Clarkson doing now” into Google. Here is what she has actually done since Breakfast, and the family and netball background behind one of the country’s best-known morning faces.
Why did Jenny-May Clarkson leave Breakfast?
TVNZ announced her exit on 13 November 2025 as part of a planned “refresh” of Breakfast for 2026. No other reason was given publicly. In her own statement she said: “This was always a privilege, never a right. I leave with gratitude, proud of what we’ve achieved together,” 1News reported.
She had been on the show since September 2019, first as news presenter, then as co-host alongside John Campbell from August 2020. 1News described her as the first wahine Māori appointed to the Breakfast co-host role.
Jenny-May Clarkson’s final Breakfast show
Her last show was Friday 21 November 2025, opened with co-host Chris Chang. “It’s my last show Chris Chang, just in case you didn’t know,” she joked on air. Chang’s send-off was “You are tenacious, but vulnerable. Competitive, but understanding,” and John Campbell summed her up as “three hours a day, five mornings a week, 15 hours of Jenny-May giving a damn.”
What is Jenny-May Clarkson doing now?
Two things are on the record for 2026.
- TVNZ Paralympics host. She returned to screen to lead TVNZ’s free coverage of the Milano Cortina Paralympic Winter Games from 7 to 16 March 2026, hosting a live one-hour studio show to open each of the nine competition days, 1News confirmed in February. Para medallist Steven Bayley and coach Scott Palmer joined her.
- An online confidence course. She told New Zealand Woman’s Weekly in April 2026 that she had been writing a Daily Confidence Course, an online programme passing on tools from her sport and broadcasting career. “I’m enjoying imparting my knowledge and experiences, knowing that the things I am sharing will help people,” she said.
No new permanent TV role had been announced when we checked in October 2026. In the same interview she described herself as “open and exploring” and said: “I have no regrets – just enormous gratitude.”
Jenny-May Clarkson’s husband Dean
Jenny-May married Dean Clarkson in 2015. Born Jenny-May Coffin, she took his surname, which is why searches for “Jenny-May Coffin” lead to the same person. She calls Dean “my number-one supporter”. What Dean does for a living has not been made public, and nor has anything about an earlier marriage, so we are not going to guess.
Does Jenny-May Clarkson have children?
Yes. The couple have twin sons, Te Manahau and Atawhai, born in 2016, who were nine in April 2026 when she named them in Woman’s Weekly. Dean also has two adult daughters, Libby-Jane and Leah, who are Jenny-May’s stepdaughters.
How old is Jenny-May Clarkson?
Jenny-May Clarkson was born on 9 April 1974 in Te Kūiti, which makes her 52 as of October 2026. She is the youngest of six children of Waka and Paddy Coffin and grew up in Piopio in the King Country, where she spent Christmas 2025 with her mum.
Jenny-May Clarkson’s netball career as a Silver Fern
Before television, she played 26 tests for the Silver Ferns between 1997 and 2002, mostly at wing attack and centre. She was vice-captain in 2001 and won Commonwealth Games silver in Manchester in 2002 before retiring from international netball at the end of that year. At domestic level she captained the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic from 2000 and later the Auckland Diamonds.
From the court to the Breakfast couch, year by year
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1997–2002 | 26 Silver Ferns tests; vice-captain in 2001; Commonwealth silver 2002 |
| 2001 | First sports commentary, per NZ On Screen |
| 2005 | Joins TVNZ as a netball commentator; starts a decade presenting Māori Television’s sports show Code |
| 2007 | Sports presenter on TV One and newsreader on TVNZ 7 |
| Sept 2019 | Becomes Breakfast news presenter |
| Aug 2020 | Co-host of Breakfast with John Campbell |
| 2023 | Nominated Best Presenter (News and Current Affairs) and TV Personality of the Year at the NZ Television Awards |
| 21 Nov 2025 | Final Breakfast show |
| Mar 2026 | Hosts TVNZ’s Milano Cortina Winter Paralympics coverage |
NZ On Screen also lists stints as assistant coach of the Northern Mystics, a mentor for young athletes through High Performance Sport NZ, and an earlier job as a police officer.
Frequently asked questions
Was Jenny-May Clarkson a police officer?
Yes. NZ On Screen’s profile lists police work among her jobs before broadcasting, though no dates are given.
What position did Jenny-May Clarkson play in netball?
She played mainly wing attack (WA) and centre (C) for the Silver Ferns.
Who replaced Jenny-May Clarkson on Breakfast?
When her exit was announced, TVNZ said it had begun a process to appoint a new presenter rather than naming a successor straight away.
Is Jenny-May Clarkson's chicken risotto recipe real?
Yes. Dish magazine published a chicken risotto tray bake developed for her by Sarah Tuck in March 2021, described as a cross between chicken pie and risotto.
What is Jenny-May Clarkson's maiden name?
Her maiden name is Coffin. She played for the Silver Ferns as Jenny-May Coffin.
