Today frontman Karl Stefanovic is known for rolling out the welcome mat, and for those who know him best, he’s one heck of a host.
So, when Nine’s million-dollar golden boy, 47, got a knock on the door recently, the last person he expected to greet was the man he lovingly refers to as “big fella” – his long-estranged father Alex.
According to a close family source, the arrival of his displaced dad has brought some much-needed closure for the once-inseparable father and son.
“With everything that’s been happening in Karl’s life, including his awful split from Cass after 21 years, and his no-expenses-spared Mexican wedding with new wife Jasmine, and the birth of their new bub Harper, this is the final piece of the Stefanovic family jigsaw that’s been missing for way too long,” the well-placed source reveals exclusively to Woman’s Day.
“Alex apparently split from his long-time partner, and he had nowhere to go.”
(Image: Instagram)
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News last week that Alex had temporarily moved into Karl and Jasmine’s rental digs on Sydney’s Lower North Shore has given the family some much-needed hope that perhaps, after all this time, a reconciliation could still be possible.
“Alex apparently split from his long-time partner, and he had nowhere to go, so he turned to his eldest son Karl,” says our source.
“Karl has such a huge heart he couldn’t turn him away – and he’ll be there for at least a couple more months.”
No one will ever really know what happened behind closed doors after Karl’s parents, Alex and Jenny, went their separate ways almost 30 years ago.
Karl with his ex-wife Cassandra.
(Image: Getty)But like many broken families, the fallout had a huge effect on the four Stefanovic siblings – Karl, older sister Elisa and little brothers Peter and Tom.
In an interview with New Idea in 2017, the dad-of-four admitted, “There is no way back. Things are beyond repair. We’re done.
“I won’t see Karl or his brother Peter again in this life, maybe the next,” he said, despite claims he was invited to and sat in the third row at Peter’s wedding to Sylvia Jeffreys.
“They walked away from me 25 years ago following my divorce from their mother. We’ve barely spoken since. That’s the reality.”
Alex, it seems, has plenty more to do to mend past wounds and, according to the source, is not wasting any more time.
“He has so many beautiful grandchildren from across all four families to either meet or reacquaint himself with – he’s well into his 70s and isn’t getting any younger.”
And with the news Karl and Jasmine are selling their Noosa holiday home they bought in 2020 for $3.6 million, they now plan to throw all their resources into another renovation project.
“They’ll end up selling Noosa for around $6 million, and with the profit Jasmine is going to sink her energy into their recently purchased family home, which is close to where they’re renting,” explains the source.
“I won’t see Karl or his brother Peter again in this life.”
(Image: Instagram)“There’s a granny flat at that property already, so she’s keen to have Alex back in their lives to make sure he always has somewhere to go.
“Jasmine is very family focused and will want Karl’s dad, along with both their families, to know they’re always welcome in their home – she will always put loved ones first.”
