Nine is negotiating terms for longtime Today host Karl Stefanovic to leave the network following his incendiary podcast interview with far-right British activist Tommy Robinson, potentially defusing a major advertiser boycott.
Nine made the decision on Wednesday evening following a series of crisis meetings at its North Sydney headquarters.
The 51-year-old was in London when told the network wanted to part ways following weeks of worsening tensions. It is unclear whether the network’s highest-paid presenter will receive any form of exit payment.
The decision clears the way for a major shake-up of the Australian breakfast television landscape, but also risks attracting the ire of Stefanovic’s conservative backers, including One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
Stefanovic’s disastrous interview with Robinson went live on Tuesday afternoon but was removed from YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Instagram less than 12 hours later.
The Today host told Robinson he admired his “tenacity” and “courage” in “trying to stand up for what you believe is right” in a jovial conversation lasting almost an hour.
In a preview video for the episode, Stefanovic also threw his arm around Robinson and called outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer a “wanker”.
The production infuriated senior Nine executives, who were blindsided by Stefanovic’s choice of interview subject and stunned by the way the Nine host embraced him on video. A series of executive meetings were held throughout Wednesday, with mixed views aired on how best to handle the crisis.
The fledgling Karl Stefanovic Show is independent of Nine. The broadcaster gave him permission to pursue it as part of a recent deal to cut his pay packet, which is reportedly worth more than $2 million a year.
But the podcast has caused headaches at Nine since its January launch, as Stefanovic steadily recast himself as a culture warrior in a bid to build a loyal right-wing podcast audience.
Some staff who were unhappy with the freedom Nine had granted the former Gold Logie winner had taken to privately calling him “Karl Bogan” – a reference to polarising US podcaster Joe Rogan.
In his interview with Robinson, Stefanovic did not interrogate the agitator’s claims and at one point laughed and said to him: “God I love ya”.
Last month, Stefanovic issued an abusive statement to the ABC’s Media Watch program, which was exploring the media’s sometimes-cosy relationship with controversial neurosurgeon Charlie Teo. “Charlie Teo is a great f—ing Australian,” Stefanovic said. “Leave him the f— alone.”
Nine executives believed this and other recent behaviour was an attempt by Stefanovic to dare the network to sever ties and pay out the remainder of his contract, which is due to expire at the end of the year.
Nine resisted moving on the veteran presenter until Wednesday, when the fallout from the Robinson interview threatened to trigger an advertiser boycott of Today.
The activist group Mad F—ing Witches was preparing to launch a damaging campaign targeting the show, tentatively titled #KancelKarl. The same group successfully applied pressure on Nine over broadcaster Alan Jones and on the Australian Radio Network over the future of former FM host Kyle Sandilands.
“If you want Karl gone from Nine, we truly need your help,” the organisation wrote on social media platform X.
“It matters that we keep these fascists and far-right nutbags out of Australian broadcasting or anyone working here in the media, so our witchy powers matter now more than ever.”
In the hours prior to the decision to part ways with Stefanovic, Nine said it had no involvement in the podcast, including in guest selection.
“However, Nine is taking this matter seriously,” a spokesperson said. Nine is the owner of this masthead.
Stefanovic joined Today in 2005 alongside then co-host Tracy Grimshaw. He remained on the desk until 2018, when he stepped down amid poor ratings and intense media focus on his personal life. He returned to co-host in 2020.
Today is routinely beaten in the ratings by Seven’s Sunrise program hosted by Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington.
Both Stefanovic and co-host Sarah Abo were this week nominated as finalists in the Ray Martin Award for most popular news or public affairs presenter at this year’s Logie Awards.
With Abo due to go on maternity leave shortly, the departure of Stefanovic means the show will be searching for two hosts. Melbourne newsreader Tom Steinfort has been filling in for Stefanovic this week while he has been on leave to conduct podcast interviews in the United Kingdom.
Stefanovic has not explained why the Robinson episode was taken down and whether he authorised the decision. However, the promotional videos for the episode remain on his personal X account.
Robinson is a former member of the fascist British National Party, who co-founded the English Defence League, an anti-Islam movement that organised street demonstrations across Britain.
The agitator has twice been forced to cancel speaking tours of Australia after being denied a visa. In 2019, supporters had paid up to $995 to see him alongside Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and Milo Yiannopoulos – a former editor of Breitbart News – in five cities.
Robinson has convictions for assault, mortgage fraud, using a false passport and contempt of court, when he was jailed in October 2024 after he ignored a court order not to repeat lies about a Syrian refugee, who had successfully sued him for libel.
He has been condemned by several UK prime ministers, including Boris Johnson, who labelled him a “far-right thug” who did “not represent the values of this country”.
Robinson on Wednesday reposted a comment on X calling for Stefanovic to “man up” and republish the deleted interview.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hanson accused Nine of plotting to sack “my good friend” and later posted the entire deleted podcast on her YouTube channel.
Former Nationals deputy prime minister turned One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce is also in London and has met with Stefanovic in recent days.
Media company ARN, which has contracted Stefanovic for a weekly show on its Gold radio network with Eddie McGuire, also distanced itself from the podcast on Wednesday.
“Karl’s association with ARN is limited to specific radio engagements. His external media activities, including his podcast, are undertaken in a personal capacity and are entirely separate from the network, which we have no control over,” a spokesperson said.
“They do not represent ARN’s views, editorial standards or programming.”
Stefanovic has been contacted for comment.
Bevan Shields is a senior writer, and former editor of The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
Kishor Napier-Raman is a senior business writer for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Previously he worked as a CBD columnist and reporter in the federal parliamentary press gallery.Connect via X or email.
Rob Harris is the national correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age based in Canberra. He is a former Europe correspondent.Connect via email.
