Karl Stefanovic has officially left the Today show following the fallout from his controversial interview with Tommy Robinson.
His co-host Sarah Abo broke down as she announced the news live on-air on Friday morning after mounting speculation about his future at Channel Nine.
‘Look, we know there has been a lot of speculation about Karl’s future with the show. Today, we wanted to inform you that Karl will not be returning to the Today show or to Nine,’ she said through tears.
Fill-in host Tom Steinfort said it was ‘no longer possible’ for Stefanovic to work on both the morning show and his podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.
‘As you know, he’s been pursuing a podcast project independently of Nine for the past few months, and it’s been decided he’ll be injecting all of his energy and attention into that, as doing both is no longer possible,’ he said.
It comes following reports on Thursday he was set to resign from Nine following late-night talks following the controversy around his interview with Robinson.
Karl Stefanovic has officially left the Today show following the fallout from his controversial interview with Tommy Robinson
His co-host Sarah Abo broke down as she announced the news live on-air on Friday morning after mounting speculation about his future at Channel Nine
The Today show star uploaded a controversial chat with the British far-right activist to his YouTube channel podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show, on Tuesday, only to delete it hours later after facing widespread backlash.
On Wednesday evening, The Sydney Morning Herald confirmed Stefanovic’s departure from Nine, indicating the decision was made in part to ‘defuse a major advertiser boycott.’
Stefanovic, who is currently on two weeks’ leave in London, was told the network ‘wanted to part ways’. He is expected to depart immediately.
The TV star, who has been a Nine stalwart for some 25 years, has six months and over $1million left to be paid on his 12 month contract.
According to sources via news.com.au, he is pushing for a full payout of the remainder of his contract – similar to the lucrative exits secured by former Nine radio heavyweights Alan Jones and Ray Hadley – despite their vastly different departure circumstances.
Sources also claim Stefanovic was seeking to be released from his contract as soon as possible to pursue other media opportunities.
The Australian had earlier reported that Stefanovic has ‘almost certainly’ appeared on the breakfast show for the last time.
A source told the Daily Mail on Wednesday evening that Stefanovic was indeed ‘gone’.
The network was huddled in ’11th hour closed-door meetings’ in Sydney on Wednesday to determine his exit from the station.
Stefanovic – who has been branded ‘Joe Bogan’ thanks to his attempt at replicating the success of Joe Rogan’s podcast – sparked controversy when he published the interview with Robinson which discussed Islam, immigration and Australian politics. Pictured: Tommy Robinson
The Daily Mail sought comment from Channel Nine and a representative for Stefanovic.
Stefanovic – who has been branded ‘Joe Bogan’ thanks to his attempt at replicating the success of Joe Rogan’s podcast – sparked controversy when he published the interview with Robinson which discussed Islam, immigration and Australian politics.
By Wednesday morning, the interview had vanished from Spotify, Apple Podcasts and The Karl Stefanovic Show YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, activist group Mad F**king Witches (MFW) announced that it had launched a campaign against Stefanovic over the podcast with Robinson.
The grassroots organisation is known for launching advertising boycotts against media figures, having previously targeted Kyle Sandilands.
‘Nine should be well aware: them taking Karl’s podcast down won’t stop us. In fact, it makes us even angrier they seem to think we’re so easily fooled and silenced,’ the organisation wrote on X.
In a statement to Daily Mail on Wednesday before Stefanovic’s resignation, a Nine spokesperson said his podcast was produced independently, and while it had no affiliation with the TV network, they were treating the matter seriously.
‘The Karl Stefanovic Show is a completely independent production,’ a spokesperson told Daily Mail.
‘Nine has no involvement, including in the guest selection and other editorial processes.
‘However, Nine is taking this matter seriously.’
Pauline Hanson backed her ‘good friend’ Stefanovic before his resignation by uploading his pulled interview with Robinson to her own YouTube channel.
Hanson weighed in on the saga on X, accusing the Nine Network of trying to ‘sack’ the Today show host.
‘It looks like they’re trying to sack my good friend Karl Stefanovic for this video with Tommy Robinson!’ she wrote.
Hanson then criticised Nine’s performance and management and justified sharing Stefanovic’s interview as a warning about immigration and extremism, arguing he was raising issues Australians need to confront.
‘Deb Knight was a huge flop for Channel 9 and while she was busy grilling me over One Nation’s polling, Channel 9’s ratings were in the toilet,’ she added.
‘In 2019 on live TV with her, I called on Channel 9 to bring back Karl. Now with six months to go on his contract the weak management of Channel 9 want to sack Karl over this interview.
‘Tommy Robinson has a lesson for Australians. If we don’t learn from the UK’s mistakes on immigration and radical Islam, we are going to face the same destruction. This is exactly what Karl was trying to bring to Australia’s attention.’
Hanson then concluded her post by asking: ‘Have Channel 9 become just as bad as the ABC?’
Robinson has been a prominent figure in right-wing activism in the UK for almost a decade, and has a lengthy criminal record.
Stefanovic, who has been a Nine stalwart for some 25 years, has six months and over $1million left to be paid on his current 12-month contract. Pictured with wife Jasmine
His convictions include violence, public order offences, contempt of court, stalking and harassing journalists, as well as financial and immigration fraud.
Stefanovic, one of Australia’s most famous television presenters, has taken to interviewing right-wing personalities on his podcast, which he launched in January.
He has welcomed the likes of Hanson, and others from the party such as Barnaby Joyce and Sean Bell, onto the show.
Other right-wing guests include former Liberal prime ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard, and Coalition figures Alex Antic, Matt Canavan and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
