KARL & DICKIE’S PLOT
Karl Stefanovic may be back in the hot seat on the Today show, but while he’s all smiles on screen, an insider claims behind the scenes the TV host is making diva-like demands – and getting his good mate Richard Wilkins’ job back on Today is top of his list. “The bosses have forgiven Karl for bringing bad publicity to the show with his private life but he has not forgotten what they did by any means,” says our well-placed spy. After being publicly fired, along with his brother, Peter Stefanovic, sister-in-law, Sylvia Jeffreys, and best mate, Richard ‘Dickie’ Wilkins, also losing their jobs in close succession, Karl is apparently ready to make some changes of his own.
Now surrounded by a new team of people he barely knows, the TV star is said to be determined to test their ability to front the national breakfast show, with Tracy Vo, Brooke Boney and Alex Cullen all worried they could be in the firing line.
“Karl has spent years working alongside his family and his best mates,” says the source. “He is back and everything has changed. He has a new boss, a new producer and most of his co-hosts are practically strangers.”
And valuing loyalty above all else, Karl wants to repay those who stood by him – starting with entertainment editor Richard, who is now working on Weekend Today, as well as Today Extra.
“Dickie always had Karl’s back and he wants him reinstated in his old job reporting entertainment on the show, alongside him. He feels terrible he was shunted sideways and wants to make things right.”
The source says it was just last week during Brooke’s movie review segment that Karl apparently decided to ‘test’ the Today show’s newly appointed entertainment host.
“So, out of the blue Karl asked her live on-air what she thought of the movie to see if she’d done research,” the source says. According to the spy, Brooke briefly stumbled before regaining her composure but was said to be blind-sided by the question.
Brooke joined the Today team as part of its major shake-up, with the former Triple J newsreader filling Dickie’s spot on the panel.
The source claims: “Karl is pushing them to see if they have what it takes and if they don’t, he wants a say in who does.”