‘Isn’t it obvious?’ Telling clue that Sarah Abo KNEW Karl bombshell loomed
There may have been one person who wasn’t shocked to see Karl’s Channel Nine exit coming and that’s his Today co-host.
As the entertainment world reels from the explosive news that Karl Stefanovic is negotiating a dramatic exit from the Nine Network, there may have been one person who wasn’t shocked to see Karl’s exit coming: and that’s his Today co-host Sarah Abo.
Nine has reportedly cut ties with Karl after his controversial podcast interview with far-right figure Tommy Robinson, a chat that was initially for his podcast The Karl Stefanovic Show. Karl, who was contracted with Nine until the end of this year, has been working on the podcast as an independent project but the episode was pulled from streaming platforms YouTube, Spotify and Apple 12 hours after it was initially posted.
Pauline Hanson later uploaded the episode in full to her YouTube channel saying, “It looks like they are trying to sack my good friend Karl Stefanovic! With six months to go on his contract, the weak management of Channel 9 want to sack Karl over this interview.”
At the time, a Nine spokesman clarified the situation in a statement, telling Woman’s Day, “The Karl Stefanovic Show is a completely independent production. Nine has no involvement, including in the guest selection and other editorial processes. However, Nine is taking this matter seriously.”
Sarah Abo’s eerie Karl Stefanovic prediction
While we await Karl’s official statement after the reported end of his 20-year career at Nine, it appears Today’s Sarah Abo may have accidentally predicted this fallout on her Instagram less than a week ago.
Six days ago, Sarah uploaded a selfie from the Channel Nine offices, shouting out the wider Today team, with Karl nowhere to be seen.
“Part of the fabulous brains trust behind 3.5 hours of live television on The Today Show every morning. Working around the clock! What a team!” she wrote, also stating the picture was taken at 3am.
Karl, who has been in the UK recording his podcast, was quick to comment, saying, “Why did you cut me out of the brains trust?” to which Sarah quipped back, “I mean, isn’t it obvious?”
While at the time it appeared to be light-hearted banter, it turns out Sarah may have just foreshadowed the end of her working relationship with Karl after over three years’ as co-hosts.
Sarah Abo: The Today Show host opens up like never before
So what does the future hold for Karl Stefanovic?
The Australian reports that Nine insiders suggest Karl’s controversial podcast content might be a “deliberate strategy” to ruffle feathers, suggesting that it could be that Karl might not mind being paid out for the remainder of his contract so he can focus on his individual pursuits full-time without having to worry about the Nine network.
Life post-Today appears lucrative for the star: he’s joined forced with Eddie Maguire for a multi-platform deal with ARN, and The Karl Stefanovic Show has already ramped up to five episodes per week.
“If he clicks, then he’ll be the frontrunner to helm ARN’s breakfast radio show in 2027, most probably with a female co-host,” journalist James Madden wrote in a commentary piece for The Australian in May.
“Sandilands out, Stefanovic in. And for much less than $10m a year.”