It’s been a big two weeks for Karl Stefanovic after his dramatic exit from the Nine Network. Now, the former Today show host has told British broadcaster Piers Morgan that the “hardest thing” about the controversy has been his wife, Jasmine’s reaction.
Karl, 51, and Nine parted ways after 21 years after Karl published an hour-long interview on his independent podcast The Karl Stefanovic Show with a controversial British far-right activist.
Since then, it’s also been announced Karl will not return to his newly-launched radio show The Long Weekend with Eddie McGuire, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting that ARN cut ties with Karl.
A source told Woman’s Day that his wife Jasmine, 42, is supporting Karl behind the scenes, despite being upset about the media attention surrounding his latest move.
“Jasmine loves his new podcast and has encouraged him from the start,” the insider says. “She’s relieved Karl has put Today behind him. There are whispers she barely watched him over the years.”
While Jasmine is thrilled that their daughter, Harper, has her daddy back, behind the scenes she’s copping criticism.
“It’s not all a bed of roses,” our source continues. “Some in the media believe Jasmine should have been more gracious to Nine.”
Jasmine has since locked down her Instagram account, switching it to private after the news of Karl’s Nine departure became public, with Karl telling Piers Morgan that Jasmine has “copped heat on social media”.
Karl, who is currently in the UK, was set to feature an interview with Piers on his podcast, but the conversation soon turned to Piers interviewing Karl, where they swapped stories of being axed from morning shows.
Piers was fired from Good Morning Britian in 2021 over comments made about Meghan Markle. He was given the choice to apologise and chose not to, resulting in his departure.
Aboard Piers’ yacht in France, an emotional Karl said the hardest part of the last two weeks has been seeing Jasmine so upset.
“I’m a bit discombobulated. For me, my first thoughts go to my family, I think those things are really hard for family to hear. Jasmine was really upset at first, she was like, ‘I don’t understand how you can do an interview and get sacked as a result of it’,” Karl shared.
He went on to say his wife of seven years “puts up with a lot”.
“Her finding out this stuff and having to deal with me because I’m a lot and I’m in the public eye a lot, and I’m away a lot and I really do work hard,” he continued. “She knows what I’m trying to do with this podcast and I’m doing it all for the family but she’s on her own a lot, so to hear her upset was the hardest thing.”
“I’m not going to stop, we’ll move on,” Karl said about the future of his career. “There’s a part of me that feels free to really have my own freedom.”
