Sports presenter Ben Fordham quits Channel Nine’s The Today Show to concentrate on 2GB Drive show

IT’S true: Aussie TV’s greatest bromance is officially over. Ben Fordham will quit Today at the end of the year — leaving bestie Karl Stefanovic in the lurch. Here’s why he needs to stay.

AUSTRALIA’S greatest television bromance is officially over: Ben Fordham will quit the Today Show at the end of the year.

The Australian reports that sports presenter Fordham will leave behind Channel Nine’s breakfast show — and BFF Karl Stefanovic — when Today wraps for 2014.News_Image_File: Ben Fordham will concentrate on his 2GB Drive program.

Fordham, who also hosts the Drive program on Sydney talkback radio station 2GB, said: “This is now the fourth and final year that I can work both ends of the day.”

“(My wife) Jodie has been incredibly understanding with my work arrangement but I need to be realistic about what I can do and how long I can do it.”

News_Image_File: Ben Fordham and his wife Jodie Speers.

So that’s it. The great Australian TV ‘mance is over. Fordham says he told Stefanovic: “It’s not you it’s me”.

We refuse to acknowledge this could possibly be true. Denial. That’s all we’ve got.

How can Stefanovic go on without Fordham by his side? Don’t do it, guys.

Don't worry @newscomauHQ I've broken the news to @karlstefanovic and explained .. "it's not you, it's me.." http://t.co/RGGkfKAvBu

— Ben Fordham (@BenFordham) March 3, 2014

In fact we’re so distraught that we’re making an impassioned plea for Fordo to stay — by reminding him of the Karl-laden shenanigans he’ll miss once he leaves.

Here are three examples of Stefanovic and Fordham at their cheeky best.

1. THE LONG, STABBY THING News_Image_File: Karl (far left) and Ben (right) leave the set in a fit of long, stabby laughter.

A laughing fit starring Stefanovic and Fordham ensued after Lisa Wilkinson and Georgie Gardner were lured into some unintentional innuendo back in 2011.

Stefanovic said he kept a “long, stabby thing” by his bed in case of intruders, then asked Wilkinson if she had a “long, stabby thing” in her bedroom that would “make a mess” of anyone who broke in.

When she responded she had a “swordy thing” — prompting giggles from the boys — Gardner innocently interjected: “Well, Tim (Gardner’s husband) is my long, stabby thing”.

Wilkinson, similarly naive to Stefanovic’s double entendre, added: “[That’s an] excellent long stabby thing ... a multiple of uses. My husband’s useless.”News_Image_File: Three musketeers: Richard Wilkins, Karl Stefanovic and Ben Fordham.

Fordham then pushed things over the edge when he argued the folly of getting “up close and personal” with an intruder, adding: “I’d want to be standing back and whacking them off from a distance.”

This proved too much for Stefanovic who walked off set in hysterics and declared: “I’m just going off for a while”.

2. STATE OF ORIGIN STORM-OFF News_Rich_Media: Today host Karl Stefanovic has stormed off the morning show set after a dispute over his state of origin. Courtesy Channel Nine Today

Stefanovic stormed off the Today set last year after a stitch-up from Fordham, who revealed the passionate Queensland State of Origin supporter was actually born in Sydney.

Fordham, with the help of Karl’s brother Peter, exposed Stefanovic’s true origin — inner-city Sydney suburb Darlinghurst — then called for the “fraud squad” to take away his Maroons jersey.

“This is a tweet from Peter Stefanovic, who says ‘remember when Karl Stefanovic reminded you he was born in NSW when Qld were losing? He floats with the breeze that bloke.’

“So despite Karl being one of the most passionate Queenslanders in the world, can you finally reveal once and for all your place of birth?” Fordham asked.

Stefanovic angrily replied: “Does that matter?”

The moment @karlstefanovic was exposed as a non-Queenslander. He was born in Sydney's eastern suburbs. #soft pic.twitter.com/tu255ln8k2

— Ben Fordham (@BenFordham) July 16, 2013

After a brief argument, Stefanovic then stormed off the set, shouting: “Good luck without me”.

The contretemps continued into the carpark, where Stefanovic drove off and Fordham called out after him: “Settle down mate. Oh look how angry he is. He’s a typical Sydney driver. See you champ. Where’s the love?”

3. THE HOT PIE PRANK

This is Ben Fordham at his best. Fordo got one back on serial prankster Stefanovic by challenging him to eat the ‘Flaming Ron’ — the world’s hottest chilli pie.

Stefanovic had been talking up the challenge until game day, when unbeknown to Stefanovic, Fordham had switched out his own ‘Flaming Ron’ for a regular pie.News_Image_File: Ben 1 — 0 Karl.

Stefanovic, who thought he was being shown up by his unaffected offsider, soldiered on despite some very obvious discomfort. Sweating bullets, Stefanovic mumbled “I’ve got nothing”, and apparently had to go home after vomiting wildly backstage.

News_Module: Karl wigs out on hot pie

What will Karl do without Ben by his side? Continue the conversation below or via Twitter @BenFordham | @karlstefanovic | @newscomauHQ