It’s meant to be happiest time of his life, but last week was undoubtedly the week from hell for Karl Stefanovic.
After months of speculation, it was finally confirmed Karl had been axed from his job as the co-host of Today after almost 14 years. But it might not just be Karl’s tenure on the breakfast TV show that’s over.
Whispers are building that his marriage to Jasmine Yarbrough could be in trouble as a result of his sudden demotion – just weeks after they tied the knot!
On December 16, the newlyweds were spied heading to the famed Matsuhisa restaurant during their Aspen honeymoon. However, an onlooker says things hardly appeared romantic between the two, who were joined at dinner by James Packer and his girlfriend Kylie Lim.
“You would never have guessed they were married,” reveals the onlooker. “She looked like she didn’t want to be there.”
“Karl ignored everyone’s advice and thought he as untouchable.” (Image: Getty)
Some believe the sudden change of Karl, 44, and 34-year-old Jasmine’s situation could prove problematic.
“The honeymoon is well and truly over now – although it barely even began,” notes an industry insider.
“When Karl and Jasmine first got together, he was the biggest name on Australian TV. But now that’s no longer the case, and it’s possible that could change the dynamics. In any marriage, change is hard. They are going to be around each other all the time now, and that might put strain on their relationship.”
WATCH: Relive Karl’s highs and lows on Today. Post continues after the video…
Angry phone call
The axe ultimately fell for Karl when he rang Nine management to vent his fury over his little brother Peter Stefanovic being unceremoniously dumped from Weekend Today – and the network.
“He didn’t have a job at the end of that telephone call,” confirms our source, who says Nine executives believe he’d “lost all credibility as a news reporter” because of his headline-making private life.
Karl was livid when his little brother got the axe and made an angry phone call to Nine about it. (Image: Media Mode)
“He was repeatedly told to tone down the ‘Jasmine midlife crisis’ thing he had going on. He was told not to be seen as part of some A-list, to stop wearing white pants and silly hats. They wanted a relatable dad and respected family man, but all the public could see was an embarrassing midlife crisis being played out week in and week out. He ignored everyone’s advice and thought he was untouchable.”
Karl’s over-the-top lavish wedding in Mexico, together with the revelation his three children didn’t attend the ceremony was said to be the final straw for frustrated Nine executives.
Karl’s team repeatedly insisted that Jackson, 19, Ava, 13, and River, 12, who he shares with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn, did watch their old man say ‘I do’. However, last week Jackson revealed that wasn’t true.
“I didn’t go to the ceremony, I went to say congratulations [to Karl and Jasmine] after they’d all left the chapel but it was a lot later,” he told the Daily Mail.
“My brother and sister didn’t want to go, and I was not going to leave them on their own so I looked after them.”
Karl’s son Jackson confirms he only popped into the reception. (Image: Karl Stefanovic Instagram)
While it was hoped that the wedding would be the one thing to rehabilitate Karl’s crumbling image, the lavish event managed to do the complete opposite. Nine were reportedly livid after the duo made an exclusive photo deal with a magazine from rival Seven West Media.
While he was once Nine’s Golden Boy, things started to turn for Karl when he split from Cass after 21 years of marriage in September 2016, and was linked to Jasmine just three months later.
“Female viewers just couldn’t forgive him for leaving his wife and moving on with a younger, glamorous model,” says a TV insider. “When Cass came out and said that Karl was dead to her, they all supported her.”
Karl’s popularity plummeted after his divorce from Cass. (Image: Getty)
The infamous Ubergate scandal earlier this year also tarnished Karl’s standing with the network, and has been cited as one of the reasons for his demotion.
In March, an Uber driver recalled a phone conversation between Peter – who was travelling with his wife Sylvia Jeffreys – and Karl who was on speaker. The driver claimed Peter moaned he “hated his job” and included some choice words for Karl’s co-hosts including Georgie Gardner and Richard Wilkins.
But when Peter, 37, was sacked from Weekend Today last week, viewers were up in arms over the announcement, with some declaring that the “wrong brother” had been let go.
“Pete’s taken one for the team,” and “Now for his brother to leave the today show…,” read comments across social media.
After news of Karl’s sacking from Today was announced, his former co-workers Lisa Wilkinson and Richard Wilkins came out in support of their “mate.”
In an Instagram post that some online commentators suggested was “a tad passive aggressive”, Lisa, 59, posted several photos of herself and Karl together during their time on Today, and captioned it, “All the best. Because when it was good, it was great.”
Lisa’s tribute to Karl divided fans. (Image: Getty)
What’s next?
In an official statement from Nine, the network confirmed, “Karl remains on contract with the network and will continue to host This Time Next Year, which records in February.”
But our Nine source put it a different way, saying, “He’s in God’s waiting room, as we call it at Nine.”
The television star’s future is up in the air. (Image: supplied)
Meet Today’s new teams
Nine say they’ll be making an official announcement about the new line-up and format of Today in “the coming weeks,” but Woman’s Day hears there’s one person they definitely want back on the desk – Ben Fordham.
“They want a family man to lead the new-look show, and no-one fits that bill better than Ben,” says an insider.
Ben Fordham, with Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic during Ben’s time on Today, is the exec’s top pickto fill fill Karl’s seat. (Image: Getty)
“They don’t want another A-lister. They’re auditioning a few guys like Brenton Ragless. Michael Usher and Cam Williams’ names have been mentioned, too, but Ben is the number one choice, despite what he may be saying at the moment.”
As for who’ll be replacing Peter Stefanovic on Weekend Today, a source says executives are looking at poaching Sarah Harris from Studio 10, to head up the first all-female line-up with her good friend and current co-host Allison Langdon.
