Karl Stefanovic hits back AGAIN at Cassandra Thorburn’s claims

Karl Stefanovic has spoken out a second time after his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn claimed the Today show host’s family abandoned his three children.

Karl, 44, and Cassandra, 47, who split in 2016 after 21 years of marriage, share three children Jackson, 18, Ava, 13, and 11-year-old River. 

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, the breakfast TV star said: ‘First and foremost, I’m a dad… and I’m not going anywhere. I love my kids.’ 

Hit back: Karl Stefanovic has spoken out a second time after his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn claimed the Today show host’s family have abandoned his three children

‘I don’t want my silence, or the fact that my children aren’t visibly front and centre with me for everyone to see, to be misinterpreted as absence. That couldn’t be further from the truth,’ he continued. 

Karl concluded: ‘I’m their dad and I’m not going anywhere. I love my kids. I just love them. They know that. And that’s what matters.’

The host said that he didn’t want to publicly make a statement on his children but felt compelled to after Cassandra claimed his family had ‘discarded’ their three children.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, the host said: 'I don't want my silence, or the fact that my children aren't visibly front and centre with me for everyone to see, to be misinterpreted as absence. That couldn't be further from the truth'. Karl is pictured with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn in Sydney on June 16, 2012

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, the host said: ‘First and foremost, I’m a dad. I don’t want my silence, or the fact that my children aren’t visibly front and centre with me for everyone to see, to be misinterpreted as absence. That couldn’t be further from the truth’. Karl is pictured with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn in Sydney on June 16, 2012

'I love my kids. I just love them': Karl, 44, and Cassandra, 47, who split in 2016 after 21 years of marriage, share three children Jackson (right), 18, Ava, 13, and 11-year-old River

‘I love my kids. I just love them’: Karl, 44, and Cassandra, 47, who split in 2016 after 21 years of marriage, share three children Jackson (right), 18, Ava, 13, and 11-year-old River

 Karl concluded: 'I'm their dad and I'm not going anywhere. I love my kids. I just love them. They know that. And that's what matters.' Karl and Cassandra are pictured in 2008

 Karl concluded: ‘I’m their dad and I’m not going anywhere. I love my kids. I just love them. They know that. And that’s what matters.’ Karl and Cassandra are pictured in 2008

The Channel Nine star’s response comes after Cassandra commemorated the two-year anniversary of their split by sitting down for a blistering tell-all interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly on Wednesday. 

‘Last year, I declared that Karl really was dead to me, a man I no longer know, but the children still have their father,’ the mother-of-three said.  

‘The flip-side of that is I feel like we’re dead to his family and almost anyone from our old life,’ she claimed. 

Speaking out: The Channel Nine star's response comes after Cassandra commemorated the two-year anniversary of their split by sitting down for a blistering tell-all interview with The Australian Women's Weekly on Wednesday 

Speaking out: The Channel Nine star’s response comes after Cassandra commemorated the two-year anniversary of their split by sitting down for a blistering tell-all interview with The Australian Women’s Weekly on Wednesday 

Cassandra went on to allege: ‘There has been practically no contact. I feel like we’ve been discarded and disposed of, replaced by a whole new line-up of starters.’    

In a statement to TheFix on Wednesday, a representative for the Stefanovic family dismissed Cassandra’s claims as false and ‘inflammatory’ while adding they are ‘disappointed’ by the allegations. 

‘We are disappointed Cass would claim such inflammatory suggestions that we have alienated Karl’s children from our family,’ the statement read. 

Difficult: Cassandra alleged: 'There has been practically no contact. I feel like we've been discarded and disposed of, replaced by a whole new line-up of starters.' Cassandra is pictured October 4, 2017 in Sydney, Australia

Difficult: Cassandra alleged: ‘There has been practically no contact. I feel like we’ve been discarded and disposed of, replaced by a whole new line-up of starters.’ Cassandra is pictured October 4, 2017 in Sydney, Australia

‘Nothing could be further from the truth. Karl regularly co parents his children and has his loving family around them.

They added: ‘We refuse to keep a running dialogue of the children… Family is often compromised when parents go through a painful divorce and we do our best to continue our love and support for the children.’   

Karl announced his split from former wife Cassandra, an accomplished journalist and TV producer, in September 2016 after 21 years of marriage.

Rebuttal: In a statement to TheFix on Wednesday, a representative for the Stefanovic family dismissed Cassandra's claims as false and 'inflammatory' while adding they are 'disappointed' by the allegations. The couple are pictured in 2011

Rebuttal: In a statement to TheFix on Wednesday, a representative for the Stefanovic family dismissed Cassandra’s claims as false and ‘inflammatory’ while adding they are ‘disappointed’ by the allegations. The couple are pictured in 2011

The Channel Nine personality met model-turned-shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough in December 2016. They became engaged in January 2018.       

In March 2018, Karl and Jasmine celebrated their relationship with a commitment ceremony. 

An insider told Daily Mail Australia at the time that Karl’s three children did not attend the ceremony but that Ava and River did show up for the celebrations afterwards.

New Love: The Channel Nine personality met model-turned-shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough in December 2016. They became engaged in January 2018

New Love: The Channel Nine personality met model-turned-shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough in December 2016. They became engaged in January 2018

Commitment ceremony: An insider told Daily Mail Australia at the time that Karl's three children did not attend Karl and Jasmine's commitment ceremony in March 2018 

Commitment ceremony: An insider told Daily Mail Australia at the time that Karl’s three children did not attend Karl and Jasmine’s commitment ceremony in March 2018 

No warning? Woman's Day also reported that Ava and River were confused and upset after finding out about the commitment ceremony just three hours beforehand

No warning? Woman’s Day also reported that Ava and River were confused and upset after finding out about the commitment ceremony just three hours beforehand

Woman’s Day also reported that Ava and River were confused and upset after finding out about the commitment ceremony just three hours beforehand.

In April 2017, reports emerged that Karl’s three children weren’t in attendance at the wedding of Karl’s brother Peter and Sylvia Jeffreys.

At the time, a family friend reportedly spoke to The Sydney Morning Herald claiming the children were ‘upset’ to have missed their uncle’s wedding.

No-show? In April 2017, reports emerged that Karl's three children weren't in attendance at the wedding of Karl's brother Peter and Sylvia Jeffreys. A family friend reportedly told The Sydney Morning Herald the children were 'upset' to have missed their uncle's wedding

No-show? In April 2017, reports emerged that Karl’s three children weren’t in attendance at the wedding of Karl’s brother Peter and Sylvia Jeffreys. A family friend reportedly told The Sydney Morning Herald the children were ‘upset’ to have missed their uncle’s wedding



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