NEED TO KNOW
- Karl Stefanovic left Today to focus on his controversial digital podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.
- Keshnee Kemp was the media executive behind his new venture.
- Keshnee has long-standing ties to both Karl and his wife, Jasmine, including past media deals involving the couple.
- However, it seems their partnership has now cooled off, with the pair preparing to enter a corporate legal battle.
- Karl and Keshnee are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday 15th September in the NSW Supreme Court regarding the company behind the podcast, 123 Podcast Pty Ltd.
If you thought Karl Stefanovic walking away from Today was just a standard midlife career change, the real story actually lies behind the scenes.
The true catalyst for his departure from the Nine network and his plum co-hosting gig was his digital podcast and vodcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.
The brains behind the operation was Keshnee ‘Kesh’ Kemp, a formidable media executive who was quietly shaping strategy in the Stefanovic camp for years.
However, things have now taken a turn, with Karl and Keshnee now scheduled to face off in the NSW Supreme Court.
On Monday, multiple outlets reported that Karl and Keshnee are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday in a corporate battle over the company behind the podcast, 123 Podcast Pty Ltd.
Corporate records show that Keshnee, who is the founder of Digital Marketing Agency August One and her husband, Jason Ibrahim, own 45 per cent of 123 Podcast Pty Ltd, via his own company, August 1 Pty Ltd.
Karl also has a 45 per cent ownership, while the other 10 per cent is held by his friend Anthony Bell via his Bell Capital venture.
Who is Keshnee Kemp?
An industry insider previously told New Idea that Keshnee had “massive plans” for Karl and his career, revealing, “If you think a hit podcast is the end game, I assure you, we’ve seen nothing yet.
“There’s word that Keshnee is cooking up massive plans for Karl later this year, including a huge live tour around the country.”
The insider also hinted that Keshee was eyeing off more big-name TV talent to join her books.
She previously launched a farm-focused podcast with Edwina Bartholomew during her time working at Woolworths Group.
“Keshnee has already successfully poached TV’s biggest name in Karl,” the source continues.
“She’ll be going after more, that’s for sure. She is very good at making connections. With Karl now unshackled from Nine, she’ll be eager to build her empire.”
How does Keshnee Kemp know Jasmine Stefanovic?
To understand Keshnee’s role in the Stefanovic brand, one must look to the other woman by Karl’s side – his wife of seven years, Jasmine.
Long before she was producing Karl’s latest project, Keshnee was a major supporter of Jasmine’s career.
They two are very close friends. They grew up together in Queensland and navigate the exact same social circles.
In 2017, Keshnee was at the helm of Cosmopolitan Australia magazine. According to publishing industry insiders, she made sure Jasmine’s shoe brand, Mara & Mine, was front and center in the magazine’s fashion pages.
But Keshnee’s most significant media move came when she took over as Editor of our sister publication, Who magazine.
There, she negotiated a major exclusive – Karl and Jasmine’s lavish Mexican wedding.
Attending the 2018 nuptials as a guest, she wrote the cover story from Los Cabos, penning, “I’ve known Jasmine and her family my entire life; we grew up together in Queensland.”
One media insider tells New Idea that Keshnee was thought to have “helped orchestrate that spectacular Mexican wedding location as part of a very savvy deal.”
It was perhaps Keshnee’s first major foray into high-stakes media wheeling and dealing, considering she managed to get Nine’s biggest talent to sign a cover deal with Who magazine, which at the time was owned by rival network, Channel Seven.
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