What happens when breakfast TV rivals David Koch and Karl Stefanovic get together

BREAKFAST rivals for years, you might expect the knives when Karl Stefanovic and David Koch see each other. But if this video is anything to go by, they’d be perfect brekkie partners.

VIDEO: Kochie and Karl’s big brekkie

BREAKFAST rivals for years, one would expect the knives to be out at any catch-ups between Karl Stefanovic and David Koch.

Instead the morning TV rivals admit they’re actually rather fond of one another.

“It’s not like I’ve been around to Kochie’s place,” Stefanovic laughs.

“But I would if he asked me.”

Stefanovic , 40, credits Koch, 59, with helping to turn Sunrise’s fortunes around when he joined the program in 2002 and says, while they’re not best mates, they do enjoy each other’s company regularly catch up at events.

Both hosts agree that while they both want to beat the other, any competition between them is friendly.

Sunrise does have the edge on Today in the ratings, with Channel 7’s breakfast program attracting about 575,000 viewers to Nine’s 432,000.

“I like Kochie. Would I like to beat him in the ratings? Yes. But I still respect what he does,” he says.

“I’ve always been a big Kochie fan. I have known him for more than 10 years now and I have spoken to him a lot over the years as we tend to go to a lot of the same events.”

David Koch and Karl Stefanovic. Picture: David Caird.

Koch says no one else but Stefanovic could understand with what it’s like to do what he does every day.

Apart from working the same ungodly hours, both Koch and Stefanovic have regularly made headlines for their opinions and their jokes.

Koch incurred the wrath of mums around the country for his outspoken views on breastfeeding, while Stefanovic was in hot water for making a joke about Indian cricket fans.

“We do the same job in the same industry,” Koch says.

“When you do three hours of live TV you cannot pretend to be someone you’re not or the viewers will see right through it.

“Whether they love what Karl or I do or hate it, at least they know they are getting someone authentic.

“We are both on the same page. Neither of us pretend to be politically correct or to be something we are not. Neither of us is afraid to speak up for what we believe in.”

“Kochie” and Stefanovic were photographed for the first time for Sunday’s Legends of the Small Screen liftout.

And of course, the larrikin duo couldn’t resist the urge to have a bit of fun with the set-up and recorded this video about their secret relationship.

Looks like they’d be perfect brekkie partners - if only they didn’t have to work every morning!

Originally published as What happens when breakfast TV rivals David Koch and Karl Stefanovic get together