Karl Stefanovic has said that while he has no immediate plans to leave Today, when he does, he is definitely not returning to the breakfast time slot.
The 39-year-old host sent the rumour mill into a spin after admitting that he had 18 months left on his contract, and that Channel Nine were struggling to find a replacement for him, last week.
Speaking to News Limited, Stefanovic remarked on the toll that breakfast television takes on its presenters, saying that Mel Doyle “looks 15 years younger” since leaving Channel Seven’s Sunrise. He said:
“Look as far as I know I have no immediate plans to leave Today but when and if I do get the tap, I will be doing a Mel Doyle and throwing that alarm clock out the window.”
Names currently being thrown around to replace Stefanovic include Richard Wilkins, David Campbell, Cameron Williams, and Stefanovic’s 30-year-old brother, Peter.
The scandal has cast doubt over the breakfast television futures of Stefanovic’s co-hosts, Lisa Wilkinson and Georgie Gardner, particularly following the success of Doyle’s replacement, Samantha Armytage, on Channel Seven. Nine news reporter Sylvia Jeffreys is believed to be their most likely replacement.
Via News Limited:
“Karl has made no secret of the fact he doesn’t want to be there but there is no obvious line of succession for him,” an industry insider said.
“The women are more in the gun, which is a shame because Lisa is great. She saved that show.
“They have seen the success that Seven had with (Sam Armytage) and think that replacing Lisa is going to have the same effect. They are looking at Sylvia Jeffreys (a reporter for Today and Nine News).”
Earlier this month, fellow Today presenter Ben Fordham announced that he would leave the show at the end of
the year.
While Sunrise wins the breakfast television time slot nationally, Today is still the top pick for viewers in Melbourne and Sydney.
Channel Nine has denied the rumours, telling News Limited: “Apart from Ben, who has already announced his next move at Nine, we are not discussing, planning, contemplating any changes to our line-up at all.”
Do you think there should be a shakeup at Today? Who would you pick to replace Karl?
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Top Comments
Lisa Wilkinson is a fabulous journalist and the only reason Karl has survived this long on the show. Maybe if Channel nine stopped looking to replace Karl with another bloke they might have a more successful formula. Just keep two women at the helm and stop rehashing a tired old formula.
I think Karl and Lisa need to go. The program has become tired and very repetitive. I really do think the show is quite boring now. New talent required ASAP.