The Today show surprised Karl Stefanovic with an on-air celebration to mark his 50th birthday on August 12th. But the party didn’t really begin in earnest until the TV star boarded his first-class flight straight back to Europe, just days after he’d returned to Oz following his time in Paris covering the Olympics.
A ST TROPEZ SOIREE
According to the source, Karl and his wife Jasmine, 40, booked out a luxury hotel in ritzy St Tropez in the South of France for the celebration.
“The highly secretive French location they reportedly chose is rumoured to be a ‘no expenses spared’ three-day celebration for 60 friends and family estimated to cost a whopping $200,000!
“He’d be thinking you only turn 50 once so let’s do this properly and go big!” says the insider.
“Much like the $50,000 he dropped for Jasmine’s 40th earlier this year, and the rumoured $10,000 birthday parties they have hosted for their four-year-old daughter Harper. And then there was their $700,000 lavish Mexican nuptials – Karl has never done anything half-baked!”
Top of the guest list, says the spy, were two of Karl’s richest friends – celebrity accountant Anthony Bell and billionaire James Packer, who Karl has enjoyed luxury European vacations with a number of times over the years.
“Those who know the real James are already saying he often says he’s attending an event but there’s every chance he won’t – James loves Karl like a brother despite the pair having had a number of rumoured fallouts over the years – but he prefers quiet time with Karl so he likely won’t make an appearance – unless he’s changed!”
Anthony’s new fiancee, ex-cricket WAG Annika Martyn, hinted they would attend. She shared on social media that they were heading to Europe last week and teased on Instagram they were attending a ’70s-themed birthday party (Karl was born in 1974) with guests asked to wear retro outfits – she even posted a fun video of herself in tennis whites, suggesting it could be tennis-loving Karl’s birthday they were heading to.
DRESSED TO IMPRESS
She wasn’t the only one dressing up! “Jasmine is set to surprise everyone with a few designer frocks she picked up in Paris for all the other soirees around the actual event,” says the source, who reveals Karl’s former Today co-star Richard Wilkins – who has been holidaying in sunny Greece in recent weeks – was also expected to be there, along with his new girlfriend, makeup artist Mia Hawkswell.
But Karl might get the cold shoulder from some of his current hardworking breakfast show co-stars once he finally gets back home to Sydney.
The insider says a number of his co-workers are seething over what they perceive to be the special treatment Karl has been receiving from some of the management at Nine.
While his Today co-host Sarah Abo and the rest of the team were expected to show up at the TV WEEK Logies on August 18, Karl got a free pass to party (like it was 1974)!
“One has to wonder if Karl got a nod and a wink from management after the ratings success of the Olympics,” says the source, who adds the star is confident he’s “pretty well set in his job at Nine for at least the next decade.
“How else can he just keep spending the way he is?” asks the insider of the controversial brekkie host, who has temporarily moved into another expensive rental property with his family while they embark on a $5 million renovation of their luxury mansion on Sydney’s North Shore.
