He is reportedly trying to convince Carrie Bickmore to ‘jump ship’ from Channel 10 to Nine to work alongside him.
And Karl Stefanovic certainly seemed to be on close terms with The Project panellist as they attended the Sony Foundation River4Ward lunch in Melbourne.
The Today show host, 43, looked animated as he had an intense chat with Carrie, 37, who knelt next to him – while his fiancée Jasmine Yarbrough looked on impassively beside them.
Having a business meeting? Karl Stefanovic has an intense chat with Carrie Bickmore… amid claims he’s ‘trying to convince her to jump ship to Channel Nine’
The father-of-three seemed to be in high spirits, gesturing energetically as he regaled Carrie with his tales.
Bickmore appeared to be equally invested in the conversation, pulling a shocked face at one point as she chatted away to him.
Rocking a chic black and white polka dot dress, the Adelaide native looked typically glamorous at the event, which was held late last month.
Karl, meanwhile, cut a dapper figure in a sharply tailored suit, while his wife-to-be Jasmine kept things simple in a black keyhole blouse.
To be a fly on the wall: The Today show host, 43, looked animated as he had an intense chat with Carrie, 37, who knelt next to him
Intense chat: Bickmore appeared to be fully invested in the conversation, pulling a shocked face at one point as she chatted away to him
Karl and Carrie’s chat comes amid claims he is trying to convince her to join him at Channel Nine.
New Idea reported that the ploy would be Karl’s chance to ‘get revenge’ on Lisa Wilkinson – who left the Today show last year following a pay dispute with the network.
Lisa is thought to also be locked in a ‘bitter feud’ with Carrie since taking up a role on The Project alongside her.
New Idea further reports that Carrie has become ‘increasingly unhappy’ behind the desk at The Project, as Lisa continues to conduct ‘all the high-profile interviews’ with celebrities such as Amy Schumer and Celine Dion.
Rumour has it: It comes amid claims Karl is trying to get an ‘increasingly unhappy’ Carrie to move from Channel 10 to Nine
It was reported back in October last year that while Carrie was quick to congratulate Lisa for quitting the Today show, behind closed doors she was said to have been annoyed by the news that Lisa would be joining her desk on the Channel 10 news program.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Carrie was ‘less than impressed’ with Ten’s decision to recruit the decorated reporter.
‘[She is] p**ed off at Wilkinson being shipped in to sit alongside her,’ insiders allegedly told the publication at the time.
The Daily Telegraph noted that the centre of Carrie’s frustration was likely to be her comparably meek pay packet of a rumoured $500,000 – an amount almost four times less than Lisa is said to be earning in her role on The Project.
Feud? It was reported back in October last year, that while Carrie was quick to congratulate Karl’s ex co-host Lisa Wilkinson (R) for quitting the Today show, behind closed doors she was said to have been annoyed by the news that Lisa would be joining her desk
Lisa sensationally revealed she was quitting the Today show last year and defecting to Channel Ten, taking up a role on The Project.
The veteran magazine editor and journalist abruptly left the network after failing to achieve pay parity with co-host Karl.
Earlier this year, Lisa once again denied rumours of any feud with her new colleague, Carrie.
Meanwhile, New Idea claims if Carrie was to move to Nine it would help ‘ease the tensions’ Karl is having with his Today colleagues, particularly with Georgie Gardner, following the now infamous ‘Ubergate’ scandal.
Tension: Meanwhile, New Idea claims if Carrie was to move to Nine it would help ‘ease the tensions’ Karl is having with his Today colleagues, particularly with Georgie Gardner, following the now infamous ‘Ubergate’ scandal’