Almost a year after being axed, Karl Stefanovic is rumoured to be returning to Today.
Just days after Stefanovic’s lavish Mexico wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough in December 2018, and while they were enjoying their honeymoon, Nine announced Stefanovic would not return to the show in 2019 after 14 years at the helm. We guess that’s one way to ensure the honeymoon is… memorable.
Georgie Gardner and Deb Knight took over hosting duties for 2019, but the show has struggled in ratings all year.
A reminder of the time Karl Stefanovic’s Today co-hosts said goodbye. Post continues below video.
But never fear, Karl is here. Stefanovic looks set to make a comeback, with The Australian reporting Network Nine CEO Hugh Marks wants to rehire him in an attempt to improve viewer numbers.
If he returns, he’ll not only have to put his days of asking why people hate Meghan Markle behind him (actually, probably not), but also have to tighten his wallet, as Nine are hoping he’ll agree to a major pay cut in return for his old gig.
The 45-year-old has just over one year left on his Nine contract worth more than $2million a year, but Nine plan to ask him to give up hundreds of thousands of dollars to claim back his Today role, The Aus reported.
Thankfully he’s already had the four-day long wedding at an exxy Mexican resort.
It is understood he would co-anchor the breakfast show with 60 Minutes reporter Allison Langdon. The pair are familiar with each other, as Stefanovic has been working on the weekly current affairs show since his axing.
And while Stefanovic has not publicly acknowledged the rumours, he's done little to quell them.
He was photographed smiling at the cameras as he arrived at Nine headquarters in Sydney on Thursday and nothing says 'I'm getting my old job back' like turning up to the headquarters of your old job but also your... current job.
Plus, last week he joked with Nova's Fitzy and Wippa about a possible return.
Wippa said on-air that he messaged Stefanovic a thank you after the host took part in their annual charity cricket match.
"When I messaged Karl to say thanks for being part of the team, he wrote back 'Haven’t lost one mate'," Wippa said, saying he then replied: "So mate, you’re the lucky charm?"
Stefanovic responded: "Well, that’s what I keep trying to tell Channel Nine, that I’m the lucky charm. If they want to pad me up and send me in I’m ready to go in and we’ll have a win."
Allegedly he's using a cricket analogy to say he'd really like to come back here, but we know precisely nothing about cricket so unfortunately we are unable to verify this claim. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
If Stefanovic returned it would represent a major about-face from Nine, and another shake-up for the network.
This week it emerged that Today Extra host Sonia Kruger was leaving Nine for a "seven-figure" deal at Seven, TV Blackbox reported.
Top Comments
Women hate Karl because like numerous male ‘talent’ on nine, his views towards women have been unattractive at times, not to mention his complete immaturity. But if that’s what Aussie blokes want to see on tv, as a reflection of themselves, then the gene pool clearly hasn’t progressed much on that side. As to the supposed women viewers who love Karl, I’ll bet they’re Queenslanders. Enough said.
So channel nine have learnt nothing about why people, women particularly, hate this guy. But then, when has channel nine ever cared about its women viewers? Nine is the only station that still has the 'pretty weathergirl,' rather than a meteorologist. The blokes channel. If they think they can still run a profitable station catering to only one half of the population, good luck to them. I won't and don't stop there.
If women hate Stevanovic so much, how come the ratings dropped when he was sacked and was replaced by two females?
Women hate Karl? Seriously? You're talking nonsense! Women love him. The ratings plunged after he was removed, and that proves my point. If Karl wasn't axed, women wouldn't have deserted the show. Bring Karl back, you get the women back. Very simple. It looks like channel nine have learned their lesson and will bring Karl back, they should increase his salary to make up for their dumb decision to axe him in the first place.
I don't hate him. I don't watch breakfast TV, but I don't have a problem with him. Why would I? His marriage ended, and then he found a new partner. That isn't a crime, or even newsworthy. Indeed, if he was a woman in the same position, I daresay you'd be cheering for her.
Wow, SS, did NOT anticipate this clandestine little candle for Karl!