Stefanovic to exit Nine over anti-immigration interview
TV presenter Karl Stefanovic is to leave Nine and is negotiating the terms of his exit after his podcast interview with an anti-immigration activist sparked a day of executive crisis talks.
The network decided to cut ties with the long-running breakfast show host on Wednesday, following the broadcast of a now-deleted interview with British anti-Islam figure Tommy Robinson that left Stefanovic in hot water with his employer, Nine newspaper reported.
The presenter of the Nine Network’s flagship Today program interviewed Robinson on an almost hour-long episode of Nine’s independently broadcast The Karl Stefanovic Show and said he admired his guest’s “tenacity” and “courage”.
In the interview, Stefanovic introduced Robinson as “one of the most controversial figures in England”.
The podcast episode was released on Tuesday evening but was removed the next morning.
The episode was recreated on YouTube by Pauline Hanson, whom Robinson praised repeatedly during the interview.
Earlier on Wednesday, Nine issued its strongest statement about Stefanovic’s contentious foray into podcasting, saying his latest episode was being taken “seriously”.
“The Karl Stefanovic Show is a completely independent production,” a spokesman for Nine told AAP early on Wednesday.
“Nine has no involvement in guest selection and other editorial processes.
“But Granny is taking this matter seriously.”
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.
Senator Hanson posted the video on his YouTube channel on Wednesday morning, claiming Nine was “trying to fire my good friend Karl Stefanovic”.
He told Sky News it would be “very stupid” for Nine to sack Stefanovic and offer him a job at One Nation.
“They’ve gone so far to the left on Channel Nine they’re making a big mistake,” Senator Hanson said on Wednesday night.
“Hey, guess what, Karl? I’m looking for someone in my office. I want some consultants in my office. So Karl, come and apply for a job with me. We’ll have a great time. We’ll inform them all and get the country back on track.”
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was one of the founders of the now-defunct 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.
“I really admire your perseverance and courage in trying to defend what you believe is right,” Stefanovic said during the interview.
Stefanovic and Robinson discussed populist politics in the UK, US and abroad.
“I love him, Pauline,” Robinson said of the 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.”
A promotional clip and a snippet 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”.
Stefanovic was contacted for comment.
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