Jasmine Stefanovic is experiencing the loss of a close childhood friend following a significant dispute that has led to her husband, Karl Stefanovic, facing legal action. The incident, which occurred during a trip to London, involved Karl's business partner, Keshnee Kemp, according to reports.
The relationship between Karl Stefanovic and Kemp, his chief podcast producer, has reportedly deteriorated beyond repair after the television host's departure from his Channel Nine role in June. This departure followed an interview with British activist Tommy Robinson.
A friend close to both women described the confrontation in London as a "massive blow up." The source indicated that the argument centered on Karl Stefanovic's career changes, with one quote stating, "what the f**k, he has just lost his whole bloody income".
Kemp and Jasmine Stefanovic, who grew up together in Queensland, had maintained a friendship since childhood. Kemp was integrated into the Stefanovic family's life, attending events such as birthday parties for their daughter Harper and their 2018 wedding in Cabo, Mexico. She also reportedly brokered an exclusive deal for the nuptials with WHO magazine.
However, this bond has now fractured. "It is pistols at dawn. There is no fixing this relationship. There are no coffee catch-ups, no dinners, kids' birthday parties, none of it," the friend told the Daily Telegraph.
On Monday, Kemp initiated legal proceedings to prevent Karl Stefanovic from removing her as a director of their company, 123 Podcast Pty Ltd. Details of the lawsuit were presented in a brief hearing before Justice David Hammerschlag of the NSW Supreme Court's equity division on Tuesday.
Karl Stefanovic and Kemp are equal major shareholders in the company, each holding 45 percent of the business, which was registered in February. The remaining 10 percent is held by Anthony Bell, Stefanovic's long-time accountant and business advisor, who is reportedly not involved in the dispute.
The dispute is understood to have arisen after Stefanovic allegedly informed Kemp of his intention to take sole control of their joint podcast venture, "The Karl Stefanovic Show," a project into which Kemp had invested her own funds and helped establish.
It remains unclear how profitable the podcast was before it was put on hiatus on August 24, following the breakdown of buyout negotiations between the founding shareholders. Prior to its hiatus, "The Karl Stefanovic Show" had garnered 215,000 YouTube subscribers and secured sponsorships from companies including Rode microphones, Revive5, and Neds. Clothing company Ringers Western reportedly withdrew its sponsorship earlier this month.
Until recently, the podcast held the top position on Apple's podcast charts for the 'news' category. The conflict also led to Stefanovic being temporarily locked out of the podcast's social media channels, including Instagram and YouTube. He resumed posting on these platforms on Tuesday, uploading a new episode of the podcast.