Unfortunately for Karl Stefanovic, things just aren’t looking up! Between slipping ratings and an exodus of support at Nine, New Idea has learnt the Today host is now wondering how long he has left amid never-ending drama at the network.
WATCH: Karl Stefanovic clashes with Ally Langdon live on air during debate
“Time is running out for poor Karl,” a top TV insider tells New Idea, noting the impending departure of the network’s CEO, Hugh Marks, has left the father-of-four in a vulnerable position.
“Hugh has always been Karl’s biggest supporter.
“But with the big boss due to depart in the next few months, poor Karlos has found himself with not too many allies left,” dishes the source, adding, “he’s the last man standing from the old boys’ club, so he would be nervous.”
Karl, who hosted Today from 2005 to 2018, before his triumphant return in 2020, used to be a “protected species” with Hugh at the helm, but those days are over.
Indeed, it was Hugh who reinstated 46-year-old Karl and invested in his big comeback after he was dumped from Today following his scandalous divorce from Cassandra Thorburn and subsequent lavish Mexican wedding to shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough in 2018.
It’s certainly a far cry from how things used to be for Karl, with this year marking the 10th anniversary of his TV Week Gold Logie award.
Meanwhile, Hugh isn’t the only one who has left Karl – his co-anchor Allison Langdon is officially out of action!
The presenter, 41, is set to be off-air for weeks after she sustained a knee injury during an on-air segment gone wrong last month, plunging Today further into chaos.
“Now that Ally is out of the picture, cracks are really starting to show,” shares the source. “With the revolving door of replacements Leila McKinnon and Deb Knight all vying for Ally’s plum job, the reality is that Today is in all sorts of trouble.
“Deb is feeling shaky about her future on radio at 2GB in Sydney, and has a nervous wait with ratings. She would love nothing more than to return to the show, and has been quietly miffed that Leila has been able to score more days in the chair.
“It’s likely Karl will face an uphill battle from here on out,” the source muses. “Word is, he’s trying to ensure his contract is watertight, so he doesn’t get his marching orders. It’s a situation he’s all too familiar with.”
Lisa steals the spotlight!
Her former Today co-anchor Karl is usually the one making headlines for his eyebrow-raising behaviour and bold comments, but it appears Lisa Wilkinson wants in on the action, too!
Her recent remarks about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s second pregnancy caused a firestorm of backlash after The Project star joked that they should name their unborn baby Andrew! The comments seemingly referred to Harry’s uncle Prince Andrew, who has been accused of raping a minor reportedly trafficked by late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a claim he denies.
Many fans of the show felt the quip was in poor taste, given it followed a segment with Australian government staffer Brittany Higgins, who alleged she was raped by a colleague at Parliament House, with some branding her joke “disgusting”.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
