- Production insiders on the reality of Seven's 'cut-price' I'm a Celebrity
- Liberals leak against the party's 'circus of rejects' rushing to join One Nation
By JONICA BRAY, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA and NICHOLAS COMINO, POLITICAL REPORTER, AUSTRALIA and ROB MCKNIGHT and JOSEPH SCRIMSHIRE, SUBSCRIPTIONS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA
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I → cut → BRAY
Published: | Updated:
When loyalty wasn't enough
The hits just keep coming for Karl Stefanovic.
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hits → publish → Stefanovic
After a messy exit from Channel Nine and a bitter legal battle with his former business partner, the television star has been dealt another blow, sources say.
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sources → deal → blow
This time, he's missed out on the blockbuster first interview with Ben Roberts-Smith that he hoped would restore his battered reputation.
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he → miss → reputation
And to make matters worse, it's gone to one of his long-time media mates.
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it → make → mates
Inside Mail has been told the former Today host was convinced he had secured the interview coup of the year, with the former SAS soldier agreeing to sit down for an explosive tell-all about his fight to clear his name.
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soldier → tell → name
Stefanovic was said to be counting on the highly sought-after exclusive to give his podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show, a much-needed boost after months of damaging headlines.
But in what has been described as a last-minute twist, Australia's most decorated living soldier is understood to have pulled the pin and chosen 2GB's Ben Fordham for his initial sit-down - a huge win for the station's new owner Tapt Media.
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soldier → say → owner
Inside Mail has been told the former Today host was convinced he had secured the interview coup of the year, with former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith agreeing to sit down for an explosive tell-all about his fight to clear his name
On Wednesday, Karl's wife Jasmine posted a photo of him wearing some of BRS's merch
The decision, we are told, was particularly bruising for Stefanovic, who has been good mates with Fordham for years and is said to be furious with both men.
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who → tell → men
Sources claim Roberts-Smith had grown increasingly concerned about the negative publicity surrounding Stefanovic and was reluctant to risk dragging his own new business venture - an online clothing brand called EPIC 1TWO - into the controversy.
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Smith → claim → controversy
Instead, he opted for Fordham, whom he reportedly regarded as a more credible and safer choice to handle the interview.
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he → opt → interview
Stefanovic, however, had been banking on the scoop to establish himself as a serious independent player in media, making the growing hype surrounding Fordham's interview a particularly bitter pill to swallow.
And Fordham has wasted no time promoting his big exclusive, billing it as 'one of the biggest interviews of the year' that will 'spark debate right across the country'.
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that → bank → country
Adding to Stefanovic's rumoured frustration is his belief that his loyalty to Roberts-Smith should have counted for something.
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loyalty → add → something
In April, he publicly defended the former SAS soldier, questioning how Australia could expect troops to serve overseas if they feared facing prosecution years later.
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they → defend → prosecution
Speaking on his podcast, Stefanovic argued that soldiers were not being adequately protected, declaring that he felt the country had let them down.
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country → speak → them
Karl Stefanovic (left) and Ben Fordham (centre) are long-time media mates
His troubles continued in August when he decided to part ways with podcast business partner Keshnee Ibrahim (pictured), sparking a Supreme Court battle over ownership of the show
Roberts-Smith and partner Sarah Matulin have gone into business together
His support later reportedly put him at odds with senior Nine executives, with his controversial comments adding to tensions at the network.
Stefanovic left Nine in June following furious backlash over his controversial podcast interview with British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, leaving The Karl Stefanovic Show as his main professional focus and a crucial source of income.
His troubles continued in August when he decided to part ways with long-time friend and podcast business partner Keshnee Ibrahim (née Kemp), sparking a Supreme Court battle over ownership of the show.
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he → continue → show
The decision is understood to have come almost overnight, with the pair holidaying together with their families just weeks earlier.
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pair → understand → families
According to sources, Stefanovic was panicking about his mounting financial commitments after losing his lucrative Nine salary and no longer wanted to share profits with the experienced marketing expert.
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Stefanovic → accord → expert
The dispute was finally settled in October, with Stefanovic taking full control after buying out her 40 per cent stake.
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Stefanovic → settle → stake
When contacted about industry rumours that Stefanovic believed he had the BRS interview sewn up before it ultimately landed at 2GB, Fordham was quick to dismiss any suggestion of a falling-out.
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Fordham → contact → out
'There was no race or competition involved,' Fordham texted.
'
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Fordham → be → ?
If anything, Karl assisted me in securing the interview.
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Karl → assist → interview
He wasn't able to do it himself because of a legal issue associated with his show.
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He → do → show
'So when BRS suggested me, Karl encouraged him to do it.
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Karl → suggest → it
Now that Karl has his podcast up and running again, don't be surprised if BRS pops up soon as a guest on The Karl Stefanovic Show.'
Fair enough.
But from where we're sitting, the legal headaches that might have prevented Stefanovic from landing the interview look to have been resolved some time ago, leaving plenty in media circles wondering how the scoop ultimately went to talkback radio instead of its far more natural home in the right-leaning podcast sphere...
Taking the wheel
The end of Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little's reign on the Hit Network's national drive show was confirmed to staff on Wednesday afternoon.
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end → have → afternoon
And now the picture of who will replace them is becoming much clearer.
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who → replace → them
Industry sources tell Inside Mail that Luisa Dal Din and Jack Archdale, better known as Lu & Jarch, are poised to take over the coveted slot, with SCA opting to promote from within rather than splash out on outside talent.
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SCA → tell → talent
The pair currently host Triple M's national early drive show, occupying the 2pm-4pm 'tradie clock-off' shift that bridges the gap between workday radio and the network's flagship Rush Hour programs.
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that → host → radio
The end of Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little's reign on the Hit Network's national drive show was confirmed to staff on Wednesday afternoon.
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end → confirm → afternoon
(The co-hosts are pictured)
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hosts → picture → ?
Carrie Bickmore is expected to be unveiled as a new network drive host at ARN within days
Luisa Dal Din and Jack Archdale, better known as Lu & Jarch, are poised to take over the coveted drive show slot at the Hit Network
There has been industry chatter around Lu & Jarch for months, with reports earlier this year linking them to breakfast radio opportunities in Sydney.
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reports → expect → Sydney
Still, moving from Triple M's 2pm-4pm shift to Hit's marquee national drive show would represent a major step up in profile.
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moving → move → profile
As for why the changes are happening, that brings us to Bickmore.
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that → happen → Bickmore
As regular Inside Mail readers will know, she's headed for ARN, which is undergoing a major reset after The Kyle and Jackie O Show's spectacular implosion and subsequent litigation.
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which → know → implosion
She is expected to be unveiled as a new network drive host within days.
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She → expect → days
Whether Little joins her remains to be seen.
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joins → join → her
SCA declined to comment.
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SCA → decline → ?
Seven's cut-price I'm a Celeb
- Opinion by Rob McKnight
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I → cut → McKnight
This afternoon, the Seven Network will be holding a lavish event at Luna Park as it pitches its big slate of shows for 2027 to advertisers.
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it → hold → advertisers
It's the annual 7UPFRONT showcase which will help determine the share of advertising revenue the company gets - if it can convince advertisers that free to air television (specifically Seven) is where it's at.
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it → help → where
Advertisers have been taking their money to big tech and streaming platforms instead of spending in the local industry... which they are entitled to do, but as companies like Netflix struggle to retain viewers (which has led to massive job cuts), free-to-air television in Australia has been steady, if not growing, in recent years.
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television → take → years
…and 56 more, not listed.
The Aporia
