Peter Stefanovic and the Nine Network part ways

An infamous Ubergate scandal had proved terminal for Peter Stefanovic’s career.

Brothers Peter Stefanovic, Karl Stefanovic, Tom Stefanovic and their sister Elise Pointon.

The Nine Network’s Weekend Today host Peter Stefanovic has been boned by the network that made him and big brother Karl ­famous.

Insiders last night said they were “in shock” at the decision, but an infamous Ubergate scandal had proved terminal for his career.

The brothers were secretly recorded during an Uber ride in March bad mouthing Nine’s management, in particular 60 Minutes and Karl’s Today co-host Georgie Gardner.

The damage sent Today show ratings plummeting — on weekdays and at the weekend — handing another ratings triumph this year to Seven’s Sunrise.

Nine insiders last night described Peter Stefanovic as a ­“decent fellow” and a “bloody good reporter”.

‘‘Everyone is in shock, but its Ubergate that’s done him in,” one Nine insider told The Australian. “Today has been spiralling out of control. And they bone people.”

Other insiders say it was brother Karl’s big fat Mexican wedding 10 days ago to his second wife, shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough, that proved the final blow to the former high-flying correspondent’s 15-year career at Nine.

Sylvia Jeffreys and Peter Stefanovic.

One said Peter Stefanovic had been out of contract for some time and must have been waiting for the axe to fall.

Nine insists it was a mutual parting of the ways and he was a “a respected member” of all news teams he had worked with.

Stefanovic, 37, was always second banana to his big brother, but he was very much part of the Nine “family”, marrying Today show presenter Sylvia Jeffreys in April last year in a much-hyped wedding in Kangaroo Valley, south of Sydney.

He also had his pick of plum foreign postings as the network’s correspondent everywhere from LA to London. He even scribbled his memoirs of life on the road, Hack in a Flak Jacket.

Stefanovic’s departure will only add to increasing speculation over the future of brother Karl, who is still on a honeymoon with his new bride.

Karl Stefanovic has been dogged by falling TV ratings since his 21-year marriage ended in 2016. The recent departure of Today executive producer Mark Calvert also fuelled rumours about who might take over from Stefanovic if ratings fail to lift next year.

Nine chiefs have been “bigging up” the star qualities of Brenton Ragless, the 42-year-old Adelaide newsreader who is holding the fort as stand-in Today show host.-