No Karl? No ratings: Viewers abandon Today Show after star’s exit
Nine are no doubt scrambling behind the scenes after ratings for Today Show took a serious dent following Karl Stefanovic’s ousting.
Nine bosses are under new pressure to replace Karl Stefanovic after the Today Show suffered a ratings slump following his exit.
Stefanovic was thrown out into the cold last week following his controversial interview with right-wing agitator Tommy Robinson on his podcast.
However, Nine could regret that decision following the release of the latest ratings.
The first official day without Stefanovic at the network on Monday saw Tom Steinfort co-hosting alongside regular star Sarah Abo.
Sadly, the pair didn’t set the ratings alight with their first official show together.
MORE: Karl’s secret $20m plan after shock Nine exit
The show could only muster a national audience of 265,000 compared to 458,000 who tuned in to Sunrise, according to figures on TV Tonight.
Things showed no sign of improvement on Tuesday either, when Sunrise garnered 456,000 against Today’s meagre 230,000, a drop of another 30,000 viewers in just 24 hours.
Stefanovic was technically absent all of last week when the show was notably up in the ratings, that was to be expected as viewers eagerly awaited news of his then-potential return.
It means that Monday actually marked the start of the new era without the long-running Nine star at the helm of the ship.
Stefanovic suffered a major knock-back on Wednesday after it was revealed ARN has pulled the trigger and axed him after just two weeks of him hosting his new Friday afternoon radio show with Eddie McGuire.
Following more than a week of silence from ARN, bosses have decided to make Stefanovic axe the show, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Stefanovic has yet to make a public comment in regards to his axing from ARN.
Last week he took to his YouTube channel to address is departure from Nine.
“Hey guys, some week, huh? So I’m free. Truly independent,” the TV star-turned-independent podcaster said in a video shared on his channel last month after his former co-stars paid tribute to him.
“I didn’t get the chance to thank my free-to-air audience for 21 great years, so thank you for riding the ups and downs.”
“Honestly? I don’t know what I’m going t