Nine threatens to sue magazines over ‘fictitious’ Karl Stefanovic articles

CHANNEL Nine is threatening to sue tabloid magazines over their “fictitious and damaging” coverage of Karl Stefanovic’s divorce.

Nine has defended Karl Stefanovic and is threatening to sue tabloid magazines.

CHANNEL Nine has come down on hard on a number of tabloid magazines over their ongoing coverage of Today host Karl Stefanovic’s divorce.

Speculation about the 42-year-old’s love life has been a popular talking point since news broke in September that he had split with his wife of 21 years, Cassandra Thorburn.

Stefanovic and Thorburn split in September.

Most recently, New Idea published a story claiming Stefanovic had quit the Today show to do some “soul-searching.”

A Nine spokesman quickly shut down the rumour, telling news.com.au: “Karl is definitely on Today in 2017, alongside the team who have had such a successful year in 2016.”

But it seems the story may have been the straw to break the camel’s back.

Late Monday, Nine news boss Darren Wick told 9Honey that the network had lawyered up.

“This very personal campaign is being prosecuted by weekly women’s magazines running fictitious and damaging articles about Karl Stefanovic that are without any foundation of fact. At best, this is lazy and reckless reporting. At worst, there is a case that this campaign is designed to damage not only his reputation but our business as well and we no longer intend to tolerate these lies. Nine has instructed Mark O’Brien, one of Australia’s most experienced media and defamation lawyers, to act on Karl and Nine’s behalf in this matter and take the necessary steps to defend his reputation against the endless fabrications.”

Just last week, Today presenter Lisa Wilkinson also blasted the media for their treatment of her co-host.

In a podcast with Mamamia’s Mia Freedman, she voiced her “disgust” at the media storm.

“There’s a lot of rubbish out there at the moment, a lot of lies,” she told Freedman.

“Lies that are published without any regard to the fact that there’s human beings involved, that there are children involved.”

Wilkinson also cited unmoderated comments sections on websites as a factor in making the situation worse.

“And my disgust, my growing disgust, for the people in charge of those magazines and those websites, right now makes me so angry,” she said.

“My anger knows no bounds over that, and I feel very protective toward the people involved. But you don’t want to give it oxygen.”