Karl Stefanovic has finally addressed reports that his position at the Today show could be at risk, after Channel Nine’s CEO Hugh Marks blamed the host’s tumultuous personal life for plummeting ratings.
On Wednesday – three days after it was first reported the 44-year-old was about to be replaced – Karl made a thinly-veiled reference to the media speculation during a segment about that night’s Dally M Awards.
After sports reporter Tim Gilbert criticised a Fairfax article about the Burgess brothers skipping the ceremony in the wake of a ‘lewd video scandal’ (of which Sam was cleared of any wrongdoing), Karl took the opportunity to attack the press.
‘It’s upsetting to have stuff written about you, isn’t it?’ Karl Stefanovic has broken his silence after reports he may be sacked from the Today show… after Nine’s CEO said the embattled host ‘can’t hide’ from the fact his marriage breakdown has caused ratings decline. Pictured (left to right) Natalia Cooper, Karl, Georgie Gardner and Tim Gilbert on Wednesday’s show
‘There is so much garbage that gets written about this desk. They [journalists] make it up,’ said a furious Tim.
‘I think you’ve just got to ignore it,’ Karl replied, before Tim chuckled, ‘Do you?’
‘It’s upsetting. It’s upsetting to have stuff written about you, isn’t it?’ Karl then added, before snorting with laughter.
While Karl did not directly reference claims Channel Nine was planning to replace him by the New Year, it was quite clear what he was talking about.
Speaking out: After sports reporter Tim Gilbert (left) criticised a Fairfax article about the Burgess brothers skipping the Dally M Awards in the wake of a ‘lewd video scandal’ (of which Sam was cleared of any wrongdoing), Karl (right) took the opportunity to attack the press
What’s so funny? After a furious Tim accused journalists of ‘making up’ stories, Karl remarked, ‘It’s upsetting to have stuff written about you, isn’t it?’, before snorting with laughter
On thin ice: It comes after Karl’s boss, Channel Nine chief executive Hugh Marks (pictured), fired a warning shot at Karl in the wake of reports he could face the sack due to falling ratings
It comes after Karl’s boss fired a warning shot at the embattled Today host in the wake of reports he could face the sack due to falling ratings.
Channel Nine chief executive Hugh Marks revealed that while Karl’s job was safe for now, everyone on the show – ‘especially Karl’ – needed to lift their game.
‘Clearly, it’s been a tough and challenging year for Karl and Today,’ Marks said.
‘No doubt the constant publicity surrounding issues with his personal life have had an impact on Karl, his colleagues and on the show. We can’t hide from that.
‘And as a result we know there’s a lot of hard work to be done to win back the audience.’
Personal dramas: The breakdown of Karl’s 21-year marriage to former journalist Cassandra Thorburn and his subsequent engagement to Jasmine Yarbrough (left) has been a major factor in the show’s audience collapse
These extraordinary comments followed claims Karl was set to be ‘axed from the Today show’ within a matter of days and would be ‘replaced in the New Year’.
The reports of a changing of the guard coincided with the Today show losing its battle in the ratings to Channel Seven’s Sunrise.
Karl is currently contracted until the end of 2020, but The Sunday Telegraph reported over the weekend that he could be replaced by early 2019.
‘Top-level sources at Channel Nine’s Willoughby studios say [he] is officially “gone”,’ the newspaper stated while referencing an alleged insider.
Image problem: Audience data shows that Today viewers first started switching off in September 2016, the same month it emerged Karl had left his wife. Pictured: Karl and Cassandra at an event in Sydney on June 16, 2012
The Sunday Telegraph also reported that Today’s executive producer Mark Calvert could also face the chop as part of an ‘engine room makeover’.
However, Marks said he was supporting Karl and co-host Georgie Gardner in their bid to recover the program’s dwindling audience – but warned that everyone on the show needed to work hard.
The breakdown of Karl’s 21-year marriage to former journalist Cassandra Thorburn and his subsequent engagement to Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, has been a major factor in the show’s audience collapse.
Audience data shows that Today viewers first started switching off in September 2016, the same month it emerged Karl had left his wife.
Since then ratings have been mostly declining, recently hitting a 12-year low.
What was he thinking? Media experts say Karl’s public image was tarnished when he quickly became engaged to Jasmine following his separation from Cassandra