As the dust settles on Lisa Wilkinson’s tremendous network jump, it looks as if we might be in store for another game of musical chairs.
Speaking with The Saturday Telegraph, a network insider has revealed that Karl Stefanovic is ready to move on after more than a decade at the helm of Today.
“Karl has been begging to get off there forever and surprise, surprise, the joint has imploded because they never listened to this bloke,” a network executive told the publication.
“They haven’t let him off and he’s been like a hostage.”
What’s more, insiders have the presenter tipped as a possible replacement for Tracey Grimshaw on A Current Affair.
“That would be the dream for Nine,” the insider continued.
“There is a strong possibility that Tracy moves from A Current Affair, either to call it a day or to do special features on 60 Minutes, and that way Karl goes in to ACA and it leaves a clean slate for the morning.”
It follows Lisa Wilkinson’s surprise departure from Channel Nine, where she co-hosted Today for 10 years, after the network refused to meet her pay demands.
She will instead be joining news and current-affairs program The Project as co-host alongside Carrie Bickmore, Waleed Aly and Peter Helliar and will also be hosting The Sunday Project.
The 57-year-old announced the news on Twitter, writing: “I have some news. I’m sad to say that today was my last day on The today show. The following statement is from Channel Nine.”
According to the statement, Channel Nine could not reach an agreement with Lisa to extend her contract for her hosting duties on the breakfast program. Sources said the beloved presenter was offered $1.8m for the breakfast show gig next year but was asking for $2.3m –- a figure closer to what is paid to her co-host, Karl, who is said to be on a $6m three-year-deal.
The statement read: “Nine today confirmed we have been unable to meet the expectations of Lisa Wilkinson and her manager on a contract renewal for a further period.
“Today Show is one of the biggest roles there is in television and requires an enormous commitment from its hosts. The partnership between Lisa and Karl has taken the show to the success it is today and we thank Lisa for everything she has done for the show and for Nine over the past 10 years,” said Nine CEO Hugh Marks.
WATCH: Lisa Wilkinson has sat at the helm of breakfast television for more than a decade. Post continues…
Lisa added: “I want to thank Channel Nine for the privilege of co-hosting the Today Show for the last 10 years. I would particularly like to thank my colleagues Karl, Slyvia, Georgie, Tim, Richard, Stevie and Natalia, as well as the hard-working producers and the entire team behind the cameras – every one of them has contributed to the incredible success of the show over the years.”
“Most particularly though I want to thank the Today Show audience who have been so supportive and incredibly loyal to me over the last decade.
“I can never thank you enough and I look forward to seeing you soon.”
Speculation has been rife about potential replacements for the veteran journalist, with Sylvia Jeffreys widely touted as a likely successor.
“The smart money is on Sylvia Jeffreys and she’s definitely my front-runner for the role, but there’s also Deborah Knight, Georgie Gardner, Chris Bath, and Rebecca Maddern co-hosted Nine’s monster reality hit this year, Australian Ninja Warrior,” TV WEEK’s editor Thomas Woodgate told Now To Love earlier in the week.
“What this does prove is there is a wealth of talent out there, but stepping into Lisa’s shoes will be no mean feat.”
