Karl Stefanovic has been dropped by Channel Nine, with his controversial interviews and a resurfaced 2020 segment featuring Pauline Hanson reportedly contributing to the decision. The network's move comes after Stefanovic's podcast uploaded a controversial chat with British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, which was later deleted amid widespread backlash. The Sydney Morning Herald confirmed Stefanovic's departure, citing a desire to "defuse a major advertiser boycott."
Stefanovic, a fixture at Nine for approximately 25 years, was reportedly informed of the network's decision to "part ways" on Wednesday evening. He has six months remaining on his current contract, valued at over $1 million.
His departure has been linked to his hosting of right-wing guests on his show and podcast, "The Karl Stefanovic Show." These guests have included Holly Valance, Tommy Robinson, and Barnaby Joyce. Stefanovic has been nicknamed "Joe Bogan" in reference to his attempts to emulate the success of Joe Rogan's podcast.
A segment from the 2020 "Today" show, where Pauline Hanson discussed Melbourne's housing commission residents during pandemic lockdowns, has also re-emerged. Hanson's comments, in which she referred to some residents as "drug addicts" and questioned their adherence to rules, led to significant outrage. At the time, Nine announced that Hanson would no longer appear as a regular contributor on "The Today Show," with then-Director of News and Current Affairs Darren Wick stating her accusations were "ill-informed and divisive."
Wick added that "At a time of uncertainty in this national and global health crisis, Australians have to be united and supportive of one another. We need to get through this together."
The network's decision to drop Hanson from the program at the time was seen as a signal of its intent to distance itself from right-wing talking points. This historical decision is now being viewed as potentially indicative of Nine's broader reluctance to align with Stefanovic's increasingly right-leaning political stance, which ultimately appears to have led to his axing from the network.