'A little bit sad' - Toni Street responds on air to backlash over the six month’s maternity leave she’s likely to take

Radio host Toni Street has responded to backlash over the six month maternity leave she's likely to take.

The Hits morning host and her husband Matt France are due have their third baby in August, via a surrogate.

Street spoke on air with The Hits yesterday about the response she's been getting in to her plans to take the rest of the year off to care for her newborn.

"The reaction I get now is one of surprise and I feel like that's a little bit sad," she says.

Referring to maternity leave 12 years ago when she first started working at TVNZ, Street says, "I'm sure it was common place that most people took a year off".

"I feel like it's totally flipped and the expectation is if you're a career woman you'll come back straight away."

"I feel like it's a surprise to people, and why should it be a surprise?" she asks.