He graced our screens on a daily basis for almost two decades, so it should come as no surprise that Karl Stefanovic would make a grand comeback to TV in some way or another following his shock departure from the Today show almost a year ago.
But what has surprised us is the way the Aussie larrikin might be making said return to our screens, as a shock new report makes a rather bold claim we weren’t really expecting.
In a new report from The Australian, Nine’s CEO Hugh Marks is reportedly hoping to bring back Karl to Today in 2020, apparently in a bid to bring higher ratings back to the show.
Since Karl’s departure, the show has seen a slump in ratings as Georgie Gardner and Deb Knight took the helm, and according to the Daily Mail, it saw an all-time low in ratings on Friday last week, drawing in only 155,000 viewers.
Interestingly, there is a catch if Karl is to return, according to reports.
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Karl might be making a grand return to the Today Show.
(Getty)The Australian reports that Karl would need to take a large pay cut, and may well co-host alongside Allison Langdon, of 60 Minutes.
The shock news comes after it was yesterday revealed that Today Extra‘s host Sonia Kruger would be leaving Nine and heading to Seven.
So with that being said, there’s certainly no denying change is in the water where Nine is concerned.
Will Karl actually return to our screens? All will undoubtedly be revealed soon.
(Nine)It’s not yet been confirmed if Karl has been offered, or indeed will even take the gig, but the news certainly has come as a surprise to some.
Many took to Facebook where the original article by The Australian was published to voice their thoughts.
“The show is doing just fine. I like the new hosts,” one viewer weighed in.
Another said: “To rescue or kill the show? The only one who can rescue the show is the gorgeous Sonia Kruger. Karl is a terrible option.”
Meanwhile, one fan of Karl’s added: “The king has returned.”
WATCH: See the trailer for Karl Stefanovic’s controversial segment on Meghan Markle. Story continues…
Karl certainly hasn’t been shy about making headlines over the past year, even without his daily Today gig.
The Aussie personality has done several other TV gigs over the year, including a recent 60 Minutes episode where he was accused of being “racist” and a “hypocrite” during a segment about Meghan Markle.
The host scrutinised Meghan and Prince Harry’s desire for privacy from the public eye, saying the public felt cheated.
But viewers weren’t convinced, reminding Stefanovic (and anyone who would listen on social media) that Karl himself has, and does try to do the same.
“Watching the hypocrisy of Karl Stefanovic scrutinising a public person after pleading for his own privacy for two years – I mean, what is this?” one viewer remarked.
