Karl and Peter Stefanovic publicly apologise for their Uber rant on Channel Nine colleagues
IT’S an apology anyone would dread: Saying sorry after being overheard bitching about your closest colleagues and bosses. Karl and Peter Stefanovic have publicly apologised for their late-night rant which was recorded by an Uber driver and shopped around to media outlets.
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IT’S an apology anyone would dread: Saying sorry after being overheard bitching about your closest colleagues and bosses.
But when you’re the Stefanovic brothers and the colleagues in question are some of the biggest names in TV, you know its not something that will just quietly go away.
After a week of speculation about exactly what was said during their late-night rant — clandestinely recorded by an Uber driver — Channel 9 hosts Karl and Peter Stefanovic have publicly come out to say “sorry”.
“Pete and I were guilty of having a spray after a Sunday barbecue,” Karl told The Sunday Telegraph yesterday. “We talk a hundred times a day and hardly ever about work. Mainly about his terrible golf.
“But we did, and the conversation was recorded. And we are sorry. I was angry with myself at first that I could be so stupid.”
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The conversation occurred late on a Sunday when Peter called his older brother, 43-year-old Today host Karl, and put him on speaker phone.
During the candid chat it is believed the brothers took aim at Nine executives, Karl’s new Today co-host Georgie Gardner, as well as entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins.
“I’ll be taking cabs from now on,” Karl said
“For the record, Georgie Gardner is killing it. She’s the best thing to happen to the show in years.
“She’s hungry, she’s working hard and making the show better every day. “I love working with her. Anyone says differently, they don’t know.”
New Idea magazine is expected to print the Uber driver’s account, based on written notes rather than an illegal recording as has been alleged over the past week.
Peter, who hosts Weekend Today and is married to Today news presenter Sylvia Jeffreys, also apologised for the embarrassing gaffe in which he allegedly had a go at fellow TV journalist Mark Burrows, whom he believes “looks down on him”.
Peter said told The Sunday Telegraph yesterday: “I did a silly thing and feel awful for any embarrassment I’ve brought to my (Channel 9) colleagues, who I deeply respect.
“I have spoken directly to the people involved and have offered my sincerest apologies as I have been raised to do: Do something wrong, apologise and try to move on.
“It is embarrassing to not only get myself into this situation but also my big brother and the network.
“There’s nothing quite like having all your insecurities out there for people to see and read.
“I am now investing in a hands-free ear piece and I gave the driver a one-star rating — but only because you can’t give a zero.”
A Nine spokeswoman said the network accepted the apology. She said: “Clearly it was schoolboy behaviour between brothers, but that’s no excuse. We appreciate their genuine apologies.”
Karl Stefanovic has been off air for the past week, on assignment for 60 Minutes, after sealing his relationship with fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough in a commitment ceremony last weekend.