Karl Stefanovic’s absence from Today triggers crisis talks

Senior executives have closed ranks in an attempt to shut down chatter about the presenter’s unplanned pre-Easter absence.

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Karl Stefanovic’s unscheduled absence from Today has triggered crisis talks at Nine.

Senior executives have closed ranks in an attempt to shut down chatter about the presenter’s unplanned pre-Easter absence which insiders confirm coincides with the Nine star embarking on sensitive contract negotiations.

So tightly held is the secret concerning the issues that have sidelined Nine’s $3-million-a-year star, news.com.au has learned Nine bosses delayed advising his stand-in, the network’s Sydney prime-time news sports reader James Bracey, he’d be required for a second week in the breakfast chair until he was preparing for what he believed was his last day as fill-in on Friday.

Today Show host Karl Stefanovic has been off-air, triggering crisis talks at Nine.

Insiders claim father-of-four Stefanovic, who Nine has confirmed is on leave for another week, has been dealing with issues at home relating to his blended family.

His bosses, say insiders, have given him time off to sort out those matters.

The last thing Nine executives want is to find themselves embroiled in yet another full-blown Stefanovic-sized domestic scandal.

The publicity surrounding the breakdown of Stefanovic’s first marriage to Cassandra Thornburn in 2016 cost the program its best chance of toppling Seven’s Sunrise in 12 years and also, ultimately, his job in 2018 when audiences switched off after the breakfast show anchor confirmed his relationship with new younger love, Queensland model Jasmine Yarbrough.

Stefanovic was reinstated as Today host a year later but the program still hasn’t defeated Sunrise and, since the departure of sports reader Alex Cullen in January, has lost ground in the critical Sydney and Brisbane battlegrounds where Stefanovic has long been most popular.

Melbourne has strengthened since the appointment of female anchor Sarah Abo, a Melburnian, in 2023.

Insiders claim Stefanovic pictured with wife Jasmine Stefanovic has been dealing with issues related to his blended family. Picture: Instagram

Stefanovic with former wife Cassandra Thorburn in 2011.

The timing couldn’t be worse for the breakfast show host with his contract up for renewal.

Nine execs expect the company’s newly appointed CEO Matt Stanton to take the knife to Stefanovic’s current and much inflated $3-million-a-year salary.

The sum sees the anchor take home roughly $150k a month thanks to a crafty “image clause”.

The figure makes him the highest paid man on Australian television and a target for Nine’s bean-counters who are under pressure to measure ratings success against salaries.

Stefanovic’s absence provides new boss Stanton and news chief Fiona Dear with a timely opportunity to evaluate the talent pool who might one day replace the breakfast anchor.

Industry veterans note that for the first time in years, Nine has enough depth in its ranks to elevate an understudy.

Seven’s decision to replace veteran David Koch with sports star Matt Shirvington in June 2023, which Nine has failed to capitalise on, has proved TV audiences can embrace change and are ready for it.

News.com.au has cast an eye over the field in contention for Stefanovic’s Today show gig.

David Campbell

The son of veteran rocker Jimmy Barnes is well-regarded at Nine and loved by female viewers. Intelligent, warm and talented, “DC”, as he’s known, has been polishing his TV presenting game as the host of TV Extra (formerly Mornings) for 14 years.

The musical theatre star is regarded as a generous host who makes the women who sit next to him shine.

The father of three, 51, also represents value for money given he earns about a quarter of Stefanovic’s income.

David Campbell has been presenting TV Extra (formerly Mornings) for 14 years Picture: Claudio Raschella

Another one tipped to be in contention to replace Stefanovic is 2GB radio host Ben Fordham Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

Ben Fordham

With Nine weighing up the possible sale of its underperforming radio division, Fordham, who hosts the 2GB Sydney breakfast show, could soon find himself having to make a difficult choice – either to shift back to television at Nine’s mothership or remain with 2GB and have his contract sold to another media enterprise.

Insiders believe the choice would be a difficult one for Fordham who for years was groomed to one day become Stefanovic’s successor.

Fordham, 48, is familiar with the Today’s predawn routine thanks to his stint as the program’s sports presenter and is said be on half Stefanovic’s income so presents a saving.

Tom Steinfort

Steinfort, 41, stepped into big shoes when he replaced Peter Hitchener as the presenter of Nine’s Melbourne evening news bulletin, alongside co-host Alicia Loxley, in November 2023.

A former European correspondent for the network, Steinfort shone in 2019 as Today’s news presenter – so much so that by year’s end he was promoted to 60 Minutes, where he proved himself a capable reporter.

The Melbourne-born presenter is married to a Sydney woman and insiders say the couple might relish a return to Sydney to be closer to her family.

Tom Steinfort currently presents Nine’s Melbourne evening news bulletin with Alicia Loxley. Picture: Supplied/Channel 9

Former tennis champion-turned-game show host Todd Woodbridge. Picture: Nine

Todd Woodbridge

If Nine was looking to take a leaf out of Seven’s Sunrise playbook, it might replace Stefanovic with a sportsman, much as Seven replaced David Koch with former athlete turned sports presenter Matt Shirvington.

Nine bosses love the tennis Grand Slam men’s doubles star Todd “Woody” Woodbridge, a household name, who they cast, with stunning success, as the host of game show Tipping Point in 2023.

The 53-year-old, who maintains close ties to the tennis community and was a former director of the Australian Open, now a much-valued Nine property, has shown himself to be a versatile talent who doesn’t mind laughing at himself, which he did in 207 when he appeared on Seven’s Dancing with the Stars in 2007.

Liam Bartlett

Nine’s Today show dominated the breakfast news slot in its early decades thanks to a simple winning formula – serious news presented by serious news presenters.

Steve Liebmann was its first beloved male anchor. “Liebo” spent 22 years in the chair from 1982 alongside four female hosts, Sue Kellaway, Patrice Newell, Liz Hayes and Tracy Grimshaw.

In 1986, 60 Minutes’ star George Negus made a seamless transition to breakfast show host, lasting four years.

Bartlett, 63, is considered a unique commercial talent who can switch gears effortlessly from serious news presenter to laughing sidekick.

Nine would love nothing better than to inflict an injury to Seven by stealing one of its best news assets and with Seven’s Spotlight program, which employs Bartlett, under something of a cloud due to poor ratings and budget constraints, he could be a valuable snatch.

Respected journalist Liam Bartlett. Picture: Supplied

Nine’s Sydney news sports presenter James Bracey who is currently filling in for Stefanovic. . Picture: Supplied

James Bracey

Bracey is on a steep learning curve at Nine.

Nine’s Sydney news sports presenter was thrown into the deep end as co-host of the network’s Paris Olympic Games evening broadcast alongside Ally Langdon last year and, despite this writer’s reservations – too white, inexperienced and baby-faced – won plenty of fans both inside and outside Nine.

In a time when breakfast television hosts are under pressure to make light of serious news and give in to producer’s often juvenile though Tik-Tokable ideas, the charming Bracey has shown he can do both in good humour.

At 40, he’s older than he appears, and is in fact a year older than Abo – so a workable age match – with plenty of good years ahead to grow into the role.

Originally published as Karl Stefanovic’s absence from Today triggers crisis talks