At any given point last year, it was hard to avoid seeing the Stefanovic name in the headlines.
If it wasn’t column inches dedicated to Karl’s wedding in Mexico, it was his brother Peter’s split with the Nine Network.
The Stefanovic name was thrown around a lot last year.
(Image: Nine Network)Then there was the all-new Today Show line-up, Karl’s absence casting a long shadow as the show continued to struggle in the ratings.
In July, Peter joined Sky News as host of their flagship breakfast bulletin, First Edition, and that too saw more coverage of the Stefanovics.
And just when you thought we’d reached Stefanovic saturation, there was one more story to come: Karl’s big comeback. In November, it was announced he would return to the show that made him a household name, linking up with Allison Langdon (who once co-hosted Weekend Today with Peter) to host Today in 2020.
Peter and new Today Show host Allison Langdon once co-hosted Weekend Today.
(Image: Instagram @peter_stefanovic)“The Stefanovic clan has had a busy year across the board,” Peter, 38, tells TV WEEK.
After a busy 12 months, it was time for the journalist to stop and reset with a break in Sydney.
“It will be very relaxed this year,” Pete said. “We’re just staying in Sydney, and people are coming to us, which is nice. We’ll just have a barbie, crack a couple of beers – well, not Sylvia – and take a load off.”
WATCH BELOW: Sylvia Jeffreys on her romance with Peter Stefanovic. Post continues after video…
Of course, this Christmas just past represented the last time Peter and wife Sylvia Jeffreys, 33, celebrated as a couple.
In August last year, they confirmed they were expecting a baby boy, their first child together after two years of marriage.
“It was the last Christmas with just the two of us, ” Peter says. “It’s so exciting. We always wanted to have a family and now it’s here. I can’t wait to start the journey.”
Peter and Sylvia just celebrated their last Christmas as a couple.
(Image: Instagram @sylviajeffreys)Having spent a career reporting from the frontlines of war zones, Peter is cautiously optimistic about his approach to impending fatherhood.
“My whole life has been based on jumping in the deep end and seeing what happens,” he says. “I feel you do your best learning that way – and being a dad will be no different. I plan to learn as I go.”
With baby Stefanovic due early this year, Peter plans to take a little time off to savour the special moment. But with Karl also returning to the airwaves, the sibling rivalry will see Peter back at work sooner rather than later.
“I’ll take a couple of weeks off when the baby arrives, but with Karl getting started, I can’t let him get too far ahead of me…” he says with a laugh. “I need to stay in the game!”
Now he’s about to become a dad, Peter plans to learn as he goes.
(Image: Getty Images)After being sacked from Today in December 2018, Karl’s dramatic return to the show raised a few eyebrows. For his brother, however, it made perfect sense.
“It doesn’t surprise me he’s back,” Peter says. “Karl is the best in the business; he’s a great journalist and a natural frontman.”
Over the past 12 months, Today has consistently lost ratings to long-running rival Sunrise. Last November, Today recorded its worst result for the year, attracting just 155,000 viewers in five capital cities.
The figures forced Georgie Gardner and Deborah Knight out of a job and paved the way for Karl to return.
“He’s an asset to Nine and I’m happy for him that he’s back,” Peter says. “He deserves to be there. I’ll be interested to see how it looks, but I’ll have to watch it on replay because I’ll be on air at the same time!”
“He’s an asset to Nine and I’m happy for him that he’s back.”
(Image: Instagram @peter_stefanovic)While Karl looks to resurrect Today, Peter is quick to admit that he feels much more at home away from the fast-paced churn of commercial breakfast television.
“You’ve got more time to spend on the news of the day,” Peter says of working on Sky News’ First Edition. “We don’t have the constraints of breakfast TV that Today and Sunrise have,” he says.
“Plus, you’re covering live and breaking news, which is my thing. I’ve enjoyed it so much; it’s nice to be challenged again.”
As the brothers prepare to go head-to-head, inevitably there will be some healthy competition.
“I’d say there will be plenty of banter about it,” Peter jokes. “We often talk about work, our jobs, and what’s happening in the industry, so I say that will ramp up.”
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