Today show host Karl Stefanovic is off the air as he attends a lavish wedding in Paris, replaced by Charles Croucher and James Bracey.
But the absence of the breakfast program’s star is doing wonders for ratings, with the numbers rising, not falling, while he’s away.
The show has rung in its strongest ratings in four weeks with Karl away, rising up to 191,760 viewers on Monday.
There’s still competition from Sunrise, however, with more eyeballs on the series thanks to new host Matt Shirvington, who recently replaced David ‘Kochie’ Koch.
Sunrise smashed Today with a lead of 66,000 viewers over the five capital cities during Shirvington’s debut episode on June 12.
Today show host Karl Stefanovic (pictured) is off the air as he attends a lavish wedding in Paris, replaced by Charles Croucher and James Bracey. But the absence of the breakfast program’s star is doing wonders for ratings, with the numbers rising, not falling, while he’s away
By June 19 that lead had risen by a further 10,000, bringing in 245,192 viewers to Sunrise.
It comes after Karl skipped town for the lavish society wedding of millionaire chicken heiress Tamie Ingham and chef Guillaume Brahimi in Paris.
Stefanovic, who has long been friends with Brahimi after being introduced by mutual acquaintance James Packer, served as emcee at the ritzy nuptials spread across two raucous days culminating in a reception at the famed Maxim’s bistro.
The 48-year-old, dad-of-four was photographed living it up with wife Jasmine in the French capital, first attending a welcome soiree at cult restaurant Girafe Paris on Tuesday evening.
He was seen the following day arriving for the ceremony at the sprawling Museum Mondee where Brahimi officially tied the knot with Tamie – a member of the Ingham chicken family which sold the poultry business back in 2013 for $800million.
There’s still competition from Sunrise, however, with more eyeballs on the series thanks to new host Matt Shirvington (pictured), who recently replaced David ‘Kochie’ Koch
Karl and Jasmine, who are staying at the $13,000-per night Hotel Costes while in Paris, are set to spend two weeks abroad in total with Stefanovic to resume hosting on June 26.
After a week of soaking up the sights in Paris, the Channel Nine breakfast show host and his wife have relocated to the $250 million gigayacht of their billionaire mate, which is currently docked in the Italian resort island of Sardinia.
It’s unfortunate timing that was ‘pure coincidence’ according to Today boss Steve Burling who defended Stefanovic’s holiday.
‘[Karl] booked in these two weeks’ leave some months ago. The fact his holiday coincides with Shirvo’s first day is pure coincidence. Nothing more,’ he said.
‘Karl hasn’t had any time off since hitting the ground running during the Australian Open in January.’
Shirvington’s impressive start marks a seamless beginning for the former sprinter who took over after Koch stepped down following more than two decades.
Karl skipped town for the lavish society wedding of millionaire chicken heiress Tamie Ingham and chef Guillaume Brahimi in Paris alongside his wife, Jasmine (left)
After a week of soaking up the sights in Paris, the Channel Nine breakfast show host and his wife have relocated to the $250 million gigayacht of their billionaire mate, which is currently docked in the Italian resort island of Sardinia. Pictured on holiday
Veteran media analyst Steve Allen, of independent media agency Pearman Media, recently described Shirvington is a fitting successor to Koch due largely to the fact both men are ‘genuinely relatable’ and don’t appear pre-disposed to personal life dramas like Stefanovic.
‘Because let’s be honest…Karl doesn’t always seem to be authentic,’ Allen told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It seems he is always papering over something naughty that he has done.
‘Hardly a year goes by that Karl isn’t involved in some snafu.
‘And while he might try to appear relatable, at the end of the day his personal life suggests otherwise… he is always attending silver spoon social events, going to celebrity weddings and seeking out an A-list posse of friends.
‘(Today producers) might not want us judging him for that but the reality is audiences do judge and it is a turn off.’
In comparison Shirvington is ‘genuinely down to earth’, Allen said.
‘Matt Shirvington just doesn’t seem like the kind of person who is interested in that world. He might not be all that urbane but he is certainly relatable.’
Sunrise smashed Today with a lead of 66,000 viewers over the five capital cities during Shirvington’s debut episode on June 12
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