Karl Stefanovic on negative publicity: ‘Got to plough on’

During his first day at his new job, Karl Stefanovic has hit out at the “women’s magazines” who targeted him before he was sacked as Today host.

Karl Stefanovic has hit out at Australia’s women’s magazines, six months on from being sacked as Today host amid a relentless run of negative publicity.

Stefanovic, who helmed Nine’s breakfast show for 13 years until last December, has recently stepped back into the spotlight to promote the new season of This Time Next Year and signed on as a regular contributor on The Steve Price Show on 2GB radio.

During his first show with Price on Monday, Stefanovic, 44, took a swipe at the “loose” journalism he claims is used by a number of weekly magazines to target him.

“The term journalism is so loose now. I think some of the women’s magazines will put something in inverted commas and put that it in the headline — but there’s no recourse,” he said. “Legally, lawyers say they can be wrong — but that’s not defamation. For me, there’s been so many articles now, but I try not to read much.”

Karl Stefanovic at the Logies Recovery Brunch at The Darling earlier this month. Picture: Tara Croser.

When questioned by Price on why he didn’t pursue legal action, Stefanovic explained that he’d decided to “just plough on”.

“The problem is that some people do believe it, and with the fullness of time — you’ve got to hope that they don’t,” he said.

Richard Wilkins and Karl Stefanovic during the 2019 Logies. Picture: Nine

Earlier this month, Stefanovic broke his silence on his axing from Today, revealing “it was a relief in many ways” to be let go from the high-profile gig.

“It was good to be back (at the Logies last night). It’s been about six months since I was on the telly, and I needed to have a rest. Towards the end of last year, I was cooked,” Stefanovic said tat a post-Logies event.

“It had taken its toll, a lot of the attention — all the unwarranted attention I thought, and you can’t control any of that, I’m not going to complain too much about that, but what it meant was that in a work capacity I don’t believe for a second I was at my best.

“I think I was struggling towards the end of last year.”