KARL PACKS HIS BAGS
It was a rocky week for the Nine Network, as the power struggle to rein in host Karl Stefanovic continued in the wake of the Today show receiving its worst ratings in four years.
The worrying statistics came in as the network’s highest paid presenter was sipping cocktails in Europe on yet another luxury holiday with fiancée Jasmine Yarbrough – right when they needed him the most. ‘Where is his focus? That’s the question that’s being asked at the station,’ reveals our well-placed spy.
‘Everyone is desperate to keep their heads above water, and the star of the show is living it up in Italy for two weeks during their peak season. He has gone too far this time.’
Adding insult to injury, The Project host Lisa Wilkinson, 58, has come out swinging at her old network, leaving bosses devastated that their secret back-up plan to woo her in to replacing Karl, 43, is in jeopardy.
‘Of course they want her to swoop in and save them,’ our insider explains. ‘Karl would be shown the door without a second thought if they knew they could win back viewers.’
Sensationally quitting her role last October after a pay dispute involving Karl’s eyewatering $2 million salary, it seems veteran star Lisa had an ulterior motive in deserting the sinking ship, with her husband Peter Fitzsimons admitting they knew the situation was dire.
‘Something will have to break. It cannot go on in the current form past Chrissie, surely,’ the journalist and author tweeted. ‘I have followed the numbers closely. Today would not have been this low for at least 10 years.’
The scathing comments have since been deleted, and Peter later admitted they were private views he’d accidentally published in error. And, in describing it as his own ‘Ubergate’ moment, he seemingly took a final swipe at his wife’s former co-host.
By Lisa’s own admission, she’s having ‘the year from hell’ since jumping ship to The Project, and those close to the star wouldn’t be surprised if she were to consider a move back to Today.
However, TV executives