Karl Stefanovic departs Nine with immediate effect
Updated . First published at
Karl Stefanovic is departing Nine after 26 years at the network.
The long-time Today host’s move was announced on air on Friday morning.
Stefanovic's departure was announced on air on Friday morning. Today
Nine released a statement shortly after the announcement.
“Nine Entertainment and Karl Stefanovic have agreed that it is no longer possible for him to continue hosting Today at the same time as his independent podcast,” the statement read.
“While Karl and Nine had previously agreed he would leave Today at the end of this year, they have subsequently decided he will leave the network immediately.”
Nine Entertainment is the publisher of this website.
In a statement posted to his YouTube channel, Stefanovic thanked his viewers for tuning in to Today for 21 years.
“You have my thanks and you have all of my love,” he said.
Karl Stefanovic posted a message to his YouTube channel shortly after Nine announced his departure from the network. YouTube
“To my colleagues, I’ll ring you privately, but [Sarah], look after everyone for me, I know they’ll miss me desperately… I look forward to seeing you soon.”
He finished by saying he didn’t yet know what he would do in the future.
“But I’ll figure it out,” he added.
Today host Sarah Abo fought back tears as she broke the news of his departure to viewers.
Stefanovic was at Nine for 26 years. Getty Images
“Karl has, of course, woken up with Today for 21 years so we know this is a huge change for our viewers and of course for us, not just here but behind the scenes, because there is a big team that puts this show together for you every day,” she said.
“He is our mate and he is our colleague, and it goes without saying that Karl’s presence will be missed. Two decades is a long time.
“We’ve spoken to a lot of people over the past few days who have varying emotions.
“They’re upset, they’re angry, they’re sad this is all happening and we all wish that it wasn’t ending like this, and we could say goodbye to you Karl, our friend, in a different way.”
In an email to staff, Nine chief executive Matt Stanton acknowledged it was a significant change for viewers.
“Karl has been a fixture on our screens for over two decades, so we know this is a significant change for our viewers and all of us here at Nine, however it’s the right time to make it,” Stanton said.
Stefanovic’s departure comes after he hosted controversial British far-right figure and anti-Islam agitator Tommy Robinson on his independent podcast earlier this week.
The podcast was taken down after less than 12 hours online, although a promotional video for the episode, in which Stefanovic labels outgoing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer a “wanker”, remains on Stefanovic’s personal social media accounts.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Cristopher Yaxley-Lennon, has twice been denied an Australian visa and has a number of criminal convictions, including for assault and drug possession.
He has previously been labelled a “far-right thug” by leading UK conservative figures Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage.
Rise to the top
Stefanovic studied at the Queensland University of Technology, and with a journalism degree, started his career as a 21-year-old at WIN Television in Rockhampton, in central Queensland.
He moved to Cairns to work for ABC Far North, spent time working at TVNZ in New Zealand, and in 1998 moved to Ten News in Brisbane.
Stefanovic hosted Today alongside Lisa Wilkinson for several years. Fairfax
In 2000, he joined Nine and over his 26-year career has become one of the most prominent faces on Australian television.
As a reporter, he covered some of the most significant stories of the past three decades, including the Queensland floods, the Christchurch earthquake, the Japan tsunami, and the Bali bombings.
Stefanovic was a familiar face on flagship news programs A Current Affair and 60 Minutes, but it was joining Today in 2005 that cemented him as one of Australia’s best-known media personalities.
He had famous chemistry with former co-host Lisa Wilkinson and it was his larrikin and sometimes brash personality that won him both critics and a huge swathe of loyal fans.
In 2009 he infamously hosted Today while still intoxicated from the TV Week Logie Awards the night before.
But it did not hinder his domination of Australian television.
His profile became such that he won the TV Week Gold Logie for most popular personality in 2011.
In 2016, he faced criticisms for using a transgender slur on air, which he later apologised for.
Return to Today and podcast controversy
At the end of 2018, it was announced that Stefanovic would not return to Today in 2019.
Stefanovic continued to work for other Nine programs and in 2020 returned to host the breakfast show alongside Allison Langdon.
When Langdon replaced Tracy Grimshaw as A Current Affair host in 2022, former 60 Minutes reporter Sarah Abo joined Stefanovic on the Today show.
Stefanovic launched his independent podcast earlier this year. That was at the centre of controversy this week when he interviewed British far-right extremist Tommy Robinson.
That episode was removed from streaming platforms less than 12 hours after going live.
Stefanovic returned to the Today show in 2020, with Allison Langdon as co-host. Louise Kennerley for Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the episode was not removed by the tech platforms.
Father of four
Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough married in 2018. The pair have one child together, daughter Harper, who was born in 2020.
He also has three children from his first marriage to Cassandra Thorburn, Jackson, Ava and River.
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