Karl Stefanovic spotted at a jail in Sydney

He was embroiled in scandal during the ‘Ubergate’ controversy earlier this year, and Karl Stefanovic found himself in the doghouse once again on Wednesday.

The Channel Nine presenter was pictured at Sydney’s Long Bay Correctional Centre, where he was filming a segment for the Today show.

The 43-year-old was checked over by security guards, witnessed cell searches and interviewed the prison officers during the eye-opening visit.

Karl went behind-the-scenes at the facility as part of a segment which sees the Today show presenters doing work experience this week.  

He got to see a regular day at Long Bay, which starts at 7am, with a ‘parade’ of the officers in each area.

The officers then head-check all the inmates in their cells and confirm that everyone is there and in good health.

After the check, prisoners are released into the yard for the day. Their free time depends on their crime and whether they are classed as minimum or maximum security.  

Eye-opening visit: The 43-year-old was pictured at Sydney’s Long Bay Correctional Centre, where he was filming a segment for the Today show

Officers carry out cell searches every day, which can be random or based on ‘intel’, and regularly conduct unannounced raids with a sniffer dog and full body searches.

During Karl’s visit, the officers found three unidentified pills and a razor blade forced into a wall screen in one cell and tobacco products in another.   

Long Bay houses 1,000 inmates who are watched over by several hundred prison guards. 

It is home to some of Australia’s most violent prisoners, including murderer Neddy Smith and gang rapist Bilal Skaf.

Karl chatted to Acting Governor Dave Cahill about what it’s like to work alongside hundreds of criminals every day.

‘You’re at risk on a daily basis, you’re at risk of being assaulted, that could be verbally… you could be spat on. You could be hit,’ Dave admitted.