It should be one of the happiest times of his life.
But less than two weeks after marrying Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, in a lavish ceremony in Mexico, Karl Stefanovic, 44, has been dropped from the Today show.
His axing from the long-running morning show was announced on Wednesday, while still on his honeymoon with his much younger bride.
Is Karl’s marriage with Jasmine to blame for his downfall? How Stefanovic’s exit from Today came days after his lavish wedding and why the couple’s ‘arrangement’ with Nine’s rival upset network bosses. Pictured in November 2017
Despite mounting speculation the veteran broadcaster was on the verge of being fired from his long-standing tenure on the program, it’s likely to still come as a blow for the star, who has taken a string of public hits in recent months.
Furthermore, management at Channel Nine is reportedly furious, after Karl made an arrangement with Who magazine, which is owned by rival network Channel Seven and gave them exclusive rights to the couple’s wedding photos.
It’s understood that while there was no paid deal in place, Who provided the photographers for the wedding in exchange for an exclusive spread in the magazine.
Unimpressed: Management at Channel Nine is reportedly furious, after Karl made an arrangement with Who magazine, which is owned by rival network Channel Seven and gave them exclusive rights to the couple’s wedding photos. Pictured in December 2018
‘Nine looked at the coverage of Karl’s wedding in horror,’ a source told The Age on Wednesday.
‘It was the final straw; they knew it was damaging their brand and pi**ing off their viewers.’
Arrangement: It’s understood that while there was no paid deal in place, Who provided the photographers for the wedding in exchange for an exclusive spread in the magazine
In addition to the coverage in Who magazine, Jasmine also provided Vogue Australia – which is owned by another rival company News Corp – quotes about the wedding for a story to run in February, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald last week.
Network bosses were equally unimpressed by recent photos of Karl on media mogul James Packer’s super yacht following the nuptials.
Once Australian television’s golden boy, beloved for his larrikin personality, Karl’s reputation plummeted after he split from his wife of 21 years, Cassandra Thorburn, 47, in September 2016.
Changing look: In a seemingly desperate effort to keep up with his much younger partner, Karl has overhauled his wardrobe in recent months. Pictured in April 2017
Controversy: Karl moved on with Jadmine (right) only months after splitting with his wife of 21 years, Cassandra Thorburn. Pictured in May 2017
By February 2017, Karl had moved on with Jasmine, a former model turned shoe designer, who is 10 years his junior.
After going public with their relationship, the couple became a fixture on the social scene, putting in regular appearances at fashion shows and red carpet events like the Logies.
In a seemingly desperate effort to keep up with his much younger partner, Karl has overhauled his wardrobe in recent months, stepping out in trendy hats and fluffy sandals, and riding around on a Vespa scooter.
‘I certainly did not expect to meet someone five months after I broke up with my wife. That was not planned, I did not know her before. I met her on a boat in Sydney,’ Karl explained in an interview with The Daily Telegraph’s Stellar Magazine in July 2017.
Out of fashion: Karl has stepped out in a variety of questionable ensembles of late, seen here wearing fluffy sandals. Pictured in July 2017 with a colleague
Despite telling the publication they were ‘taking things really, really slowly’, the couple announced their engagement just seven months later, in February this year.
By December, they were married, hosting a lavish four-day wedding in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Somewhat tellingly, many of Karl’s Today colleagues were no-shows at the nuptials, with the ceremony supposedly coinciding with the highly reported Nine-Fairfax merger.
Unexpected: ‘I certainly did not expect to meet someone five months after I broke up with my wife. That was not planned,’ Karl has said of his relationship with Jasmine. Pictured in February 2018
Not impressed: Once considered charming, Karl’s behaviour of late has bordered on obnoxious, with Today’s viewers turning away from the program in droves
Once considered charming, Karl’s behaviour of late has bordered on obnoxious, with Today’s viewers turning away from the program in droves.
In September, industry website Mumbrella reported the show’s metropolitan viewers had dropped to below 200,000 on the back of a series of run-ins between Karl and his female co-hosts.
In October last year, veteran journalist Lisa Wilkinson announced she was leaving the program after being unable to reach a pay agreement.
Not happy: Network bosses were unimpressed by recent photos of Karl on media magnet James Packer’s super yacht following the nuptials. Pictured in June 2017
On the fast track: Despite telling The Daily Telegraph’s Stellar Magazine they were ‘taking things really, really slowly’, the couple announced their engagement in February this year. Pictured in November 2017
According to a report by The Daily Telegraph at the time, Nine bosses had offered the 59-year-old $1.8 million, compared to Karl’s $2 million a year deal.
In an age of empowering women’s movements, the gender pay gap took a toll on Karl’s already fraying reputation.
Things only went from bad to worse for the TV host, when he was caught lambasting Lisa’s replacement on the show, Georgie Gardner.
Loose-lipped: Things only went from bad to worse for the TV host, when he was caught lambasting Lisa Wilkinson’s replacement on Today, Georgie Gardner, during a drunken phone call with his brother, Peter Stefanovic
During a seemingly drunken phone call with his older brother while in an Uber in March of this year, Peter Stefanovic, 37, spoke with Karl about Georgie, 48, apparently not being up to job.
The stunning show of unprofessionalism embroiled the star in a heightened level of scandal even for him.
And while he tries desperately to reclaim his once gleaming reputation, the harsh reality is fans started turning away from Karl long before Today’s bosses did.
Daily Mail Australia reached out to Who magazine and Karl and Jasmine’s representatives for comment.
Over it: While he tries desperately to reclaim his once gleaming reputation, the harsh reality is fans started turning away from Karl long before Today’s bosses did. Pictured in April 2017