Karl Stefanovic’s 14-year stint on the Today show came to an end on Thursday following a blaze of poor ratings and negative headlines.
While rumours of that he would be axed from the role have been swirling for months, Karl’s legacy of controversy extends back much further.
Famous for a laissez-faire approach that saw him host Today drunk after the Logies 2009, Karl has struggled to woo viewers over to Nine in recent years.
From his highly publicised breakup with his wife Cassandra Thorburn to Ubergate and THAT meltdown over pictures of himself checking into a caravan park with 12 cans of rum: How it all went wrong for Karl Stefanovic as he is finally booted from Today
The start of the program’s downward spiral can be traced back to September 2016, when it emerged Karl had separated from his wife and the mother of his three children, Cassandra Thorburn.
A few months after the split, Karl began dating former-model-turned-shoe-designer Jasmine Yarbrough, who is nine years his junior.
The pair were married during a lavish four-day wedding in Mexico earlier this month, with glossy images of the expensive occasion hitting newsstands across the country.
The beginning of the end? The start of the Today show’s downward spiral can be traced back to September 2016, when it emerged Karl, 44, had separated from his wife and the mother of his three children, Cassandra Thorburn (left). Pictured on October 16, 2008 in Sydney
New flame: A few months after splitting with his wife, Karl began dating Jasmine Yarbrough (right), who is nine years his junior. Pictured on April 4
Media experts believe this relationship has resulted in female viewers turning their backs on Karl.
Of course, Karl’s personal life wasn’t the only reason for his diminishing popularity over the years.
In June 2017, Karl courted controversy once again when he unleashed a bizarre tirade on the Today show after pictures of himself checking into a country caravan park carrying 12 cans of pre-mixed rum were published.
Newlywed bliss: Karl and Jasmine were married during a lavish four-day wedding in Mexico earlier this month (pictured on their wedding day)
The pictures showed the father-of-three stopping by a bottle shop to pick up the drinks on the way to his accommodation in Yamba, on the NSW north coast, in late April, accompanied by a Channel Nine producer.
The host, who earned a reported $3million a year – insisted that he was at the location filming a story about struggling prawn farmers and that ‘they deserve a rum or two.’
He then bizarrely suggested the pictures were an attack on women because he was carrying the rum cans before entering the caravan park with his female colleague.
Breakfast TV war: Today’s ratings have been declining since Karl began dating former model Jasmine Yarbrough in late 2016, recently hitting a humiliating 12-year low. Meanwhile, Channel Seven’s Sunrise continues to dominate and the gap between the rival breakfast shows widens. Pictured: Sunrise hosts Samantha Armytage (left) and David ‘Kochie’ Koch (right)
Bizarre outburst: In June 2017, Karl courted controversy once again when he unleashed a bizarre tirade on the Today show after pictures of himself checking into a country caravan park carrying 12 cans of pre-mixed rum were published (as pictured above)
His outburst provoked a strong reaction on social media, with some users taking to Twitter and Facebook to call Stefanovic out as a hypocrite.
The rant came at the end of a week of combative comments from Karl, who days earlier claimed he ‘didn’t care’ about the media circus surrounding the return of Schapelle Corby from Bali.
He found himself at the centre of a gender pay gap controversy in October last year when his co-host Lisa Wilkinson resigned after management reportedly refused to pay her the same salary as Karl.
No equal pay? Of course, Karl’s personal life isn’t the only reason for his diminishing popularity. He found himself at the centre of a gender pay gap controversy in October last year when his co-host Lisa Wilkinson (right) resigned after management reportedly refused to pay her the same salary as Karl
Channel Nine CEO Hugh Marks said at the time that Karl was paid more because he had more responsibilities at the network, including his prime time show This Time Next Year, and because Lisa had several commercial agreements outside Nine.
The former magazine editor subsequently signed a lucrative deal with Network Ten and began hosting The Sunday Project.
Behind-the-scene tensions with Lisa’s replacement, veteran journalist Georgie Gardner, also didn’t help Karl’s public image at the start of 2018.
Scandal: In March, Peter and Karl (pictured) were embroiled in the Ubergate scandal after their private phone conversation in a taxi was leaked to New Idea magazine
Not friends: Behind-the-scene tensions with Lisa’s replacement, veteran journalist Georgie Gardner (right), also didn’t help Karl’s public image at the start of 2018. Pictured: Georgie rolling her eyes at Karl at the 2018 Logies while being interviewed by Sonia Kruger (left)
The animosity between the two presenters reached an apex when the so-called ‘Ubergate’ scandal made headlines.
Karl had been ‘overheard’ by an Uber driver complaining about Georgie and other colleagues, and the details of his private conversation were leaked to New Idea.
According to the magazine, he had criticised his female co-anchor for ‘sitting on the fence’ and not having enough opinions.
Tensions boil over: The animosity between the two presenters reached an apex when the so-called ‘Ubergate’ scandal made headlines. Karl had been ‘overheard’ by an Uber driver complaining about Georgie (right) and other colleagues, and the details of his private conversation were leaked to New Idea
Warning shot: In September, Karl’s boss Hugh Marks fired a warning shot in the wake of the scandal, saying the Today host could face the sack due to the show’s decline in popularity
When New Idea hit newsstands on Monday 19 March, Georgie branded Karl ‘pathetic’ on air, supposedly referring to his phobia of dachshunds.
However, it was abundantly clear to viewers what she was really referring to.
In September, Karl’s boss Hugh Marks fired a warning shot in the wake of the scandal, saying the Today host could face the sack due to the show’s decline in popularity.
On Thursday, Karl finally announced he had parted from Today.
The news came a day after his younger Peter abruptly exited the network ‘to explore new opportunities.’
Bye! On Thursday, Karl finally announced he had parted from Today
Departures: Karl’s brother Peter (left, in 2011) parted ways with the network on Tuesday