KARL AND LISA’S FIGHT
THEIR PLANS TO REUNITE ON TODAY ARE PUT ON HOLD
They’ve said very little publicly about their relationship and what went wrong since departing the Today show. But just days after Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic were said to have taken part in top-secret negotiations to return to the breakfast program, along with entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins and newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys, all hell has broken loose.
According to an industry insider, Lisa is now considering pulling out of the highly anticipated reunion after Today aired an interview with controversial politician Pauline Hanson, following the murder of Brisbane’s Hannah Clarke and her three children at the hands of their father and Hannah’s estranged husband, Rowan Baxter.
“Lisa is absolutely furious and appalled,” the well-placed source tells New Idea.
Speaking to Today hosts Karl and Allison Langdon, Pauline called the murder-suicide “treacherous” but called on
Australians not to demonise all men in reaction to the horrific crime.
“Don’t bastardise all men out there, or women for that matter, because these things happen,” she said.
“A lot of people are driven to this, to do these acts for one reason or another.”
Lisa, who has always tried to keep private her opinions on the now-failing breakfast program she fronted for more than 10 years, is said to have been livid when she watched the interview.
And it wasn’t long before she took to social media to express her disgust.
“Why oh why does breakfast TV continue to give this woman a regular weekly platform?” she wrote on Twitter, alongside a picture of the One Nation leader.
“She is dangerous. Worse, she is taking these attitudes to her role as deputy chair of the Family Law inquiry.”
Shortly after, fans were quick to hit back at Lisa for her scathing comments, with one posing the question: “Was she on Today regularly during your tenure Lisa?
If so, were your concerns heard by 9 management and the producers?”
Lisa simply tweeted back, “No she wasn’t.”
Insiders say Lisa was particularly frustrated with Karl, whom she was looking forward to reconnecting with, and feels he should have opposed the interview going to air at such a sensitive time, even if it was a publicity stunt to spike ratings.
“Lisa had a go [at Karl] because even in her days when they needed a publicity spike, they would roll in Pauline, which she used to fight against,” dishes our source.
“But Karl and the Nine
boys club always won.
“She really hated that and would walk out of production meetings. But more importantly, bringing in Pauline to discuss this tragedy would have upset her 100 times more.
“Lisa used to hate when she was at Today and Karl would tell producers to ring Pauline – she would just roll her eyes.”
So, it comes as no surprise that it wasn’t just a producer’s decision to bring Pauline on to the program.
“Karl and Pauline are on speed dial,” the source continues. “Let’s face it, they both knew it was mutually beneficial [for Pauline to be on the show].
“At the end of the day, they both got the headlines.”
As a result of Lisa’s frustrations over the Pauline interview, New Idea understands negotiations to get the fab four back on air have now ground to a halt.
It comes as ratings for Today continue to nose-dive.
“Lisa and Karl have always had a love-hate relationship,” a well-placed insider reveals.
“Having said that, Lisa would be loving the Today show ratings. She can read Karl like a book and knows she needs to keep her name and The Project in the press – hence her public swipe at Karl.”
Nine’s head of news and current affairs, Darren Wick, insists he’s not concerned about Today’s dire ratings, telling The Australian Karl and current co-host Allison Langdon are “absolutely the right team”.