Speaking to New Idea in his only interview, the driver who overheard a fiery 45-minute conversation between Karl Stefanovic and his brother Peter has shared his story – exposing what Karl really thinks of his co-host Georgie Gardner.
Despite recent widespread reports claiming the driver recorded the brothers' bombshell conversation, he has vehemently denied this, saying: 'I don't have a dash cam... I don't even know how to record something on my phone.'
In a shocking rant that’s enough to make morning viewers choke on their breakfast cereal, Karl slams his colleagues, other network shows and even his bosses in the attack. As well as claiming that Georgie needs to ‘step up’, an ‘angry’ Karl also accused Dickie of keeping him from big entertainment stories and slammed Nine bosses for being ‘out of touch’.
'It was Pete and his wife Sylvie who jumped into my cab late one night,' says the driver in an exclusive interview with New Idea. 'He called Karl and told him he was in a cab and that he was on speaker phone so they all were aware I was there and could hear everything.'
Their first point of discussion was Karl’s ‘problems’ with his new co-host Georgie, who he accuses of ‘sitting on the fence’.
‘He said she didn’t have enough opinions and he wanted her to step up,’ explains the driver. ‘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.'
Privy to other outrageous claims, the taxi driver noted that Peter seemed to be intoxicated and that his wife Sylvia didn’t join in on the brothers’ long-winded whinge.
And while some industry insiders are wondering if Channel Nine’s ‘golden boy’ can bounce back from his latest gaff after a string of controversies, our spies at Nine have slammed the driver as sensationalist.
‘It was just two brothers having a bit of a moan,’ says the source.
'Everyone knows Karl and Pete are in the boys’ club over there and it was just letting off steam.’
Despite rumours that the phone call was recorded and the driver was trying to sell it to the highest bidder, the 54-year-old says this was not the case.
'I actually wanted them to end the call. The complaining just went on and on and I needed a drink myself.'
Read the full story in this week's issue of New Idea, on sale now.
