Karl Stefanovic plots his future as the Today Show cops fallout from Ubergate
INSTEAD of keeping his head out of the news pages — as is the desire of his Nine bosses — Karl Stefanovic is believed to be planning another dramatic change.
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IF you were scripting an episode of Karl Stefanovic’s prime-time transformation show for the host himself, this time next year you’d find a new man changed in ways even the 43-year-old never anticipated.
Rather than staying on a scandal-free course and keeping his head out of the news pages — as is the desire of his Nine bosses — the Gold Logie winner is believed to be plotting a dramatic ‘status update’ likely to raise more eyebrows, not less.
By the end of this year, close friends predict, the Today co-host plans to be married to his new partner, Jasmine Yarbrough — taking last month’s quizzical commitment ceremony a step further, when he hopes to formally walk his 32-year-old bride down the aisle.
Given the drama which surrounded that spontaneous occasion — when Stefanovic’s ex-wife reportedly sent the police in to the last-minute event, it’s a brave man who would court the kind of attention a high-profile wedding like his would inevitably bring.
But it’s the TV presenter’s pursuit of happiness, since splitting with his wife of 21 years almost two years ago, that has — for better or worse — proved the opposite.
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While no one ever knows what really happens in any marriage, what has played out in public for Stefanovic has been agonisingly painful for his three children; distanced him from many of his closest friends; polarised his TV audience; and been a full-time job for Nine’s publicity department, left to put out one spot fire after another.
It began back in September 2016, when Stefanovic’s wife confirmed he left their marital home and moved into the Bondi apartment of his powerful ally and former boss, James Packer.
It escalated in October, when Thorburn made claim to some credit for Stefanovic and the Today show’s ratings success, which had closed the gap on rival Sunrise — she argued at the cost on his home life.
In a barbed Facebook post, the former ABC reporter laid bare the acrimony with her more famous husband, and her pain at being the woman seemingly sacrificed for his professional progress.
As Today and Sunrise squared up to go to court over the official viewer numbers, Thorburn seized the moment to take her own bow, and swipe as a supporting player on Nine’s breakfast program.
“This took a huge toll on my family and ... I’m congratulating myself today for all the effort that went into making that (the ratings) happen. The suggestions, the story ideas, the constant counselling of questions for years,” she said.
“I’m giving myself a pat on the back tonight, as I know many people will also know how much effort I put into it.”
The post did as it was probably intended to do, exploding in the face of Stefanovic; while putting his wife back on the media’s radar.
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Agent Max Markson shopped her column-writing potential and magazine deals for tell-alls offered around.
She would eventually tell Woman’s Day her husband was “dead to me,” in a bitter story that added more salt to his wounds.
Meanwhile, Stefanovic’s new freedom as a single man came to an abrupt end, as he partnered up with Yarbrough within five months of his split.
Pictures of the couple canoodling on a luxury yacht would have antagonised Thorburn, and every housewife living in fear her husband would follow in the same well-worn path.
It wasn’t easy for the new couple either, with their courtship monitored by the minute, the paparazzi following their every move.
Attendances at everything from fashion parades to a hairdressing appointment were interpreted meanly as an intentional attack on his ex-wife, until she voiced her objections at the constant comparisons to model and fledgling shoe designer.
If he didn’t have enough drama with the women in his life, Stefanovic would find himself collateral damage in his co-star Lisa Wilkinson’s pay dispute and shock exit from Nine.
His on-air ‘wife’ walked away from the network, and jumped ship to Ten, after management refused to give her pay parity with Stefanovic — and in so doing unleashed an unholy gender war, that hit the show’s ratings hard and, through no fault of his own, his personal brand as a feminist’s friend.
It was only a few years ago Stefanovic made international headlines for a social experiment — wearing the same suit for a year without anyone noticing, as a way to highlight how unfair the sartorial scrutiny of Wilkinson and other public women was.
That goodwill evaporated in an instant, as Nine’s boss Hugh Marks stood by his $2 million man and let go the woman who had propped him up during the dark days, post-divorce.
Stefanovic would be back in the crosshairs as soon as Wilkinson’s replacement was named, with Georgie Gardner admitting they were less than bossum buddies behind the scenes.
Not one to suffer fools, Gardner’s withering looks at her sometimes wayward offsider did not go unnoticed.
But just as they seemed to settle down, his private life would draw focus once more.
News of his engagement in February seemingly blindsided his already fractious ex-wife, who did her best to take the high road in her public comments, claiming: “his engagement doesn’t register with me on any level.”
She then added, with spice: “I am just focused on helping those affected by the ever-changing landscape of my ex-husband’s life, to navigate it.’
Nine’s star news man was now cast in a soap opera of Bold And The Beautiful proportions.
If Stefanovic was finding love and comfort in the arms of his new woman, he was about to shoot himself in the foot with the help of his brother, Peter.
In the most damaging episode of Stefanovic’s career to date, the TV brothers unleashed a tirade of abuse and frustration at their Channel 9 colleagues — all while a diligent Uber driver took notes of the late night conversation, aired over speakerphone in the back of his share car.
Those who had defended Stefanovic, promoted his cause within the walls of Nine’s Willoughby headquarters, would discover what he really thought of them when details of the rant was eventually revealed.
As New Idea reported, the brothers Stefanovic unleashed an extraordinary 45-minute attack on colleagues including close friend, Richard Wilkins, Gardner, veteran reporter, Mark Burrows and Nine bosses, presumed to include news director Darren Wick and 60 Minutes executive producer, Kirsty Thomson.
Thomson was already having to answer to criticism levelled at Karl over his recent “creepy” interview with Kylie Minogue when his flirtatious question labelling her a “hot” 50-year-old earned the ire of viewers.
More seriously though for Stefanovic, who is contracted to report regularly for 60 Minutes, the Uber rant was calamitous confession, claiming the show had “lost relevance and lost viewers.”
A public apology would follow, but its larrikin tone — which once would have charmed Stefanovic back into everyone’s affections — now missed its mark.
“We talk a hundred times a day and hardly ever about work,” Karl said, “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.”
Peter Stefanovic, who hosts Today Weekend and is married to Today news reader Sylvia Jeffreys, also paid his penance, stating: “I did a silly thing and feel awful for any embarrassment I’ve brought to my (Channel 9) colleagues, who I deeply respect.”
In their public statement, Nine compared them to naughty schoolboys, but other staffers weren’t quite so forgiving.
It’s unclear whether Stefanovic’s walk of shame last week through one of 60 Minutes production cottages — where he apologised to editors and reporters, cameramen and producers — was a company directive or off his own bat.
But insiders claim not all accepted the mea culpa.
Avoiding an interview, one of those slighted in the spray, Wick stayed on message in a statement to News Corp: “Karl has no doubt had a difficult time in his personal life this past 12 months, but he is very much a part of the Nine family, on Today Show where we consistently win the important ratings battle along the key east coast markets and for 60 Minutes, as well as the prime time This Time Next Year [returning in 2019].”
“Georgie and Karl make a great team, they have genuine respect for each other and we believe the audience continue to respond well to the work they do each morning.”
Ten years into a job he’s made clear he’s keen to move on from, Stefanovic’s next move could decide whether he pays a professional price for those personal struggles.
But, at least one crisis management expert, Andrew Woodward argues, like our cricketers, viewers have short memories for “likeable guys like Karl.”
“A lot of the decision makers in the industry, advertising and media landscape, don’t pay much attention to the paparazzi stuff. Karl has been a familiar face on our televisions for what, 15 years or more now. People see him, I would suggest, first and foremost as a credible journalist and then for his lighter side.”
Mr Woodward argues his complicated private life “is just part of a modern family these days ... people are a lot more mature about that now. It’s titillating beyond words, but there’s no scandal there.”
Taking a Teflon attitude to even the worst of the Uber rant, Mr Woodward said the controversy may even keep him connected with the average guy on the street, who whinges and whines about their workplace.
“People can identify with that and I wouldn’t think it will affect him long term.”
“Karl is different in that he’s a likeable guy, someone you’d want to have over for dinner, or meet your grandmother. He hasn’t done anything we all haven’t gone through at some point: split with partners, had tension at work. Has everyone gone through that? Yes.”
Nine’s strategy, he argues, should be no strategy.
“It’s happened, he’s not going to go anywhere ... you’ve just got to get him focused on the job. In a year’s time, people will have forgotten all this and moved on. They always do.”