Australia‘s popular “Today” TV host Karl Stefanovic has spokenn out following his exit from Nine Entertainment, posting a video to YouTube declaring himself “free, truly independent” and framing the split as a stand for editorial principle — days after an episode of his podcast “The Karl Stefanovic Show” featuring U.K. far-right agitator Tommy Robinson.
“Nine Entertainment and Karl Stefanovic have agreed that it is no longer possible for him to continue hosting ‘Today’ at the same time as his independent podcast,” the network said in a statement supplied to Variety. “While Karl and Nine had previously agreed he would leave ‘Today’ at the end of this year, they have subsequently decided he will leave the network immediately.”
Nine chief executive Matt Stanton, in an email to staff, described the timing as the “right time” for Stefanovic to move on.
In the YouTube video, Stefanovic offered an emotional farewell to his free-to-air audience. “I’m free, truly independent. I didn’t get the chance to thank my free-to-air audience for 21 great years,” he said. “Thank you for riding the ups and downs. You have my thanks, and you have all of my love.” He singled out co-host Sarah Abo — due to go on maternity leave in August — asking her to “look after everyone,” and acknowledged the preceding days had been difficult. “It wasn’t easy this last couple of days, but we roll on,” he said.
