Karl Stefanovic might be running for cover today, with news his jilted wife Cassandra Thorburn has broken her silence about their split – and her alleged treatment following that traumatic day.
While she has largely eschewed interviews since the sad news of her split, Cassandra has now emerged from a long, self-imposed seclusion, saying she’s ready to face the world again. And Karl probably will not like what she has to say.
Crediting her resilience and strength for getting her through the past two years, Cassandra was brutally honest about the way she feels she’s been treated.
‘Last year, I declared that Karl really was dead to me, a man I no longer know, but the children still have their father,’ she has today told the Australian Women’s Weekly.
‘The flip-side of that is I feel like we’re dead to his family and almost anyone from our old life.
‘There has been practically no contact. I feel like we’ve been discarded and disposed of, replaced by a whole new line-up of starters.’
Despite it all, Cass says she’s ready to face the future, and whatever it brings.
‘It has been a real adjustment period for me,’ she says of her new life – and the challenges it brings.
‘…When there is a split, we’re either accused of manipulating the children or criticised for asking for the money that is rightfully ours – you can’t win.’
It’s been a rough week for Karl, with Today taking a beating in the ratings.
In July, Karl admitted to TV Week that he considered giving up his position on the Channel Nine breakfast program after Ubergate made headlines and he suffered scrutiny about his engagement to younger model, Jasmine Yarbrough.
‘There have been times when I’ve wondered if it’s worth it,’ Karl said.
‘Rumours about us [the Today show panel] are absolute rubbish. We spend a lot of time together and love each other’s company,’ he also said.
In March, New Idea exclusively revealed details from Karl’s ‘b***y’ phone call with brother Peter Stefanovic, where the two spoke about co-host Georgie Gardner and fellow Nine colleagues.
The Uber driver said at the time, ‘[Karl] said she [Georgie] didn’t have enough opinions and he wanted her to step up. He actually sounded angry and said he was going to start pushing hard and that she needed to do that if she wanted to stay on the show.’