Nine taking Stefanovic’s scrubbed interview ‘seriously’
Karl Stefanovic’s now-deleted podcast interview with a British far-right activist has landed him in trouble with employer Nine, who said the presenter was taking the matter seriously.
The presenter of the Nine Network’s flagship breakfast show Today interviewed controversial anti-Islam figure Tommy Robinson for his podcast and said he admired Robinson’s “tenacity” and “courage”.
The almost hour-long episode of Nine’s independent Karl Stefanovic Show aired on Tuesday evening but was removed the next morning.
However, the episode was recreated on YouTube by Pauline Hanson, whom Robinson praised repeatedly during the interview.
In its strongest statement about Stefanovic’s contentious foray into podcasting, Nine said on Wednesday morning that his latest episode was being taken “seriously”.
“The Karl Stefanovic Show is a completely independent production,” a spokesman for Nine told AAP.
“Nine has no involvement in guest selection and other editorial processes.
“But Granny is taking this matter seriously.”
In an episode at the beginning of the podcast, Stefanovic described Robinson as one of Britain’s “most controversial public figures”.
“I really admire your tenacity and courage in trying to stand up for what you believe is right,” he said during the interview.
It is not yet known why the episode was taken down or who made the call, but it has been removed from Stefanovic’s YouTube channel, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The One Nation leader posted the video on his YouTube channel on Wednesday morning, claiming Nine was “trying to fire my close friend Karl Stefanovic”.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, is a leading far-right activist and founder of the anti-Islamic English Defense League movement.
He has been banned from many social media platforms for violating rules on hateful conduct and hate speech and has numerous criminal convictions.
During the roving debate, the pair touched on populist, far-right policies in the UK, US and abroad.
“I love him, Pauline,” Robinson said of the rebel One Nation leader, the first guest to appear on the opening episode of Stefanovic’s podcast.
“He went through what I went through: he was condemned, he was attacked, he was beaten, every name mentioned.
“And here he is, moving on despite all the backlash.”
Although the entire interview has been deleted, a promotional clip and part of the interview remain active on Stefanovic’s X account.
In one clip, Robinson talks about the costs of talking about immigration and Islam and touts her experience being deplatformed on social media.
Stefanovic opened the interview with the words: “I’m surprised you’re not dead yet.”
The two are seen walking side by side; Robinson is wearing a “unite the kingdom” T-shirt, the name given to a series of large anti-immigration rallies in London.
Stefanovic, who was asked to complete Robinson’s sentence, described Britain’s outgoing Labor prime minister, Keir Starmer, as a “masturbator”.
The caption reads, “Speaking to Tommy Robinson. The man you’re all looking for.”
“The biggest disruptor. A lot of people say it’s the voice of the people.”
Stefanovic was contacted for comment.
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