Karl’s ugly week from hell
KARL’S WEEK FROM HELL
In a sensational new bombshell, New Idea can reveal that Karl Stefanovic’s ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn called the police on the day of his extravagant commitment ceremony.
Police sources confirm that Cass phoned the cops after becoming concerned about their children. The call coincided with the estranged couple’s two youngest children, Ava and River, attending his big day with girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough – but it’s not clear what sparked Cass’ concerned call to police.
It’s the latest chapter in a high-profile split that has seen Cass publicly blast her exhusband. In a recent interview, the mother-of-three revealed: ‘The children still have a father but I don’t have a husband. He really is dead to me and no, we won’t ever be friends again.’
It comes in a week where Karl has found himself in hot water after making a series of explosive claims during a car trip in Sydney. And now, New Idea can exclusively reveal exactly what was said during the cab ride that all of Australia is talking about.
Speaking to New Idea in his only interview, the driver who overheard a fiery 45-minute conversation between Karl and his brother Peter has shared his story – exposing what Karl really thinks of his co-hosts Georgie Gardner and Richard ‘Dickie’ Wilkins.
Despite recent widespread reports claiming the driver recorded the TV brothers’ bombshell conversation, he has vehemently denied this, saying: ‘I don’t have a dash-cam... I don’t even know how to record something on my phone.’
In a shocking rant that’s enough to make morning viewers choke on their breakfast cereal, Karl slams his colleagues, other network shows and even his bosses in the attack. As well as claiming that Georgie needs to ‘step up’, an ‘angry’ Karl also accused Dickie of keeping him from big entertainment stories and slammed Nine bosses for being ‘out of touch’.
‘It was Pete and his wife Sylvie who jumped into my cab late one night,’ says the driver in an exclusive interview with New Idea. ‘He called Karl and told him he was in a cab and that he was on speaker phone so they were all aware I was there and could hear everything.’
Their first point of discussion was Karl’s ‘problems’ with his new co-host Georgie, who he accuses of ‘sitting on the fence’. And while there has always been rumours the pair have never got along, Karl was quick to detail her inadequacies – with the taxi driver saying his main gripe was the fact she is too neutral.
‘He said she didn’t have enough opinions and he wanted her to step up,’ explains the driver. ‘He actually sounded angry and said he was going to start pushing hard and that she needed to do that if she wanted to stay on the show.’
The newly married TV star went on to offer advice to his younger sibling, after Peter explained in great length how unhappy he was working for Nine News and how he was desperately trying to get ahead in his career with no luck.
‘Karl moaned that Dickie kept all the entertainment contacts close to his chest and doesn’t share anything,’ the driver continued. ‘Karl suggested Pete pitch ideas and say he needs $60k and not to take no for an answer, but Pete said his ideas were always knocked back and it was sucking the life out of him.’
Detailing what was wrong with other well-known shows like 60 Minutes, Karl pointed out that ratings were down, and was even big-headed enough to outline advice for his bosses who have supported him through thick and thin.
‘He said they didn’t know anything and thinks they are out of touch,’ he confirms. ‘Both the brothers clearly think they are better than what they do and spent a lot of time complaining.’
Privy to other outrageous claims, the taxi driver noted that Peter seemed to be intoxicated and that his wife Sylvia didn’t join in on the brothers’ longwinded whinge.
During the journey, news presenter Peter also had a go at his unwitting colleagues – slamming news stalwart Mark Burrows for looking down on him and saying that he hated his job so much that he often takes it out on wife Sylvia.
And while some industry insiders are wondering if Channel Nine’s ‘golden boy’ can bounce back from his latest gaff after a string of controversies, our spies at Nine have slammed the driver as sensationalist.
‘It was just two brothers having a bit of a moan,’ says the source. ‘Everyone knows Karl and Pete are in the boys’ club over there and it was just letting off steam.’
And despite rumours that the phone call was recorded and the driver was trying to sell it to the highest bidder, the 54-year-old insists this was not the case.
‘I actually wanted them to end the call. The complaining just went on and on and I needed a drink myself,’ he says.
The driver says it was only near the end of the conversation that the pair eventually let up on their bitter rampage against who’s who on television to compare themselves to international superstar brothers Oasis.
‘Pete wanted Karl to watch the doco Supersonic because of a similar estranged relationship they had with their father who tried to get in touch after they became rich and famous,’ says the driver.
He explained that he hadn’t called the media but some days later had told an old friend about the now infamous trip with his famous passengers, and she had been keen to spread the word.
‘The next thing I know is that everyone was trying to find out what was being said. Who was being named. How bad it was,’ he says. ‘I had no idea any of it was that interesting.’