When loyalty wasn’t enough
The setbacks are continuing to mount for Karl Stefanovic.
Following his turbulent departure from Channel Nine and a bitter legal dispute with former business partner Keshnee Ibrahim, the television personality has reportedly suffered another major disappointment.
Stefanovic is said to have missed out on the headline-making first interview with Ben Roberts-Smith , an exclusive he reportedly hoped would help repair his damaged public image.
Adding to the sting, the interview has instead gone to one of his long-standing friends in the media.
Inside Mail understands the former Today presenter believed he had landed the year’s biggest interview, with the former SAS soldier allegedly agreeing to speak openly about his ongoing efforts to clear his name.
The highly anticipated exclusive was expected to provide a significant lift for Stefanovic’s podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show, which has endured months of negative headlines.
However, in a reported last-minute change of plan, Australia’s most decorated living soldier is understood to have withdrawn from the proposed interview and selected 2GB presenter Ben Fordham instead — a major coup for the station’s new owner, Tapt Media.
Inside Mail understands the former Today presenter believed he had secured the year’s biggest interview, with former SAS soldier Ben Roberts-Smith reportedly agreeing to deliver a highly anticipated account of his fight to clear his name
On Wednesday, Karl’s wife Jasmine shared a photograph of him wearing merchandise from Roberts-Smith’s brand
The move was reportedly especially painful for Stefanovic, who has been close to Fordham for years and is said to be angry with both men.
According to sources, Roberts-Smith had become increasingly wary of the adverse publicity linked to Stefanovic and did not want his own new venture — online clothing label EPIC 1TWO — pulled into the controversy.
He is instead understood to have chosen Fordham, whom he reportedly considered a more credible and lower-risk interviewer.
Stefanovic had reportedly viewed the interview as an opportunity to establish himself as a serious independent force in Australian media. That has made the growing attention around Fordham’s broadcast even more difficult to accept.
Fordham has already begun promoting the exclusive, describing it as “one of the biggest interviews of the year” and promising it will “spark debate right across the country”.
The reported snub is also believed to have frustrated Stefanovic because he felt his past support for Roberts-Smith should have carried weight.
In April, Stefanovic publicly defended the former SAS soldier and questioned how Australia could expect troops to serve overseas if they were later concerned about facing prosecution.
During an episode of his podcast, Stefanovic argued that Australian soldiers were not receiving adequate protection and said he believed the country had failed them.
Karl Stefanovic (left) and Ben Fordham (centre) have been friends and colleagues in the media for years
His difficulties continued in August after he ended his partnership with podcast co-founder Keshnee Ibrahim (pictured), triggering a Supreme Court dispute over ownership of the program
Roberts-Smith and his partner Sarah Matulin have launched a 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.
The decision is understood to have come almost overnight, with the pair holidaying together with their families just weeks earlier.
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.
The dispute was finally settled in October, with Stefanovic taking full control after buying out her 40 per cent 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.
‘There was no race or competition involved,’ Fordham texted.
‘If anything, Karl assisted me in securing the interview. He wasn’t able to do it himself because of a legal issue associated with his show.
‘So when BRS suggested me, Karl encouraged him to do 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.
And now the picture of who will replace them is becoming much clearer.
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.
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.
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. (The co-hosts are pictured)
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.
Still, moving from Triple M’s 2pm-4pm shift to Hit’s marquee national drive show would represent a major step up in profile.
As for why the changes are happening, that brings us to 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.
She is expected to be unveiled as a new network drive host within days. Whether Little joins her remains to be seen.
SCA declined to comment.
Seven’s cut-price I’m a Celeb
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.
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.
Over the past few years it’s been a tough sell, despite solid ratings.
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.
Despite the growth, and with a downturn in advertising revenue, networks are being forced to make big cuts to their programming budget.
Seven’s cut-price I’m a Celeb won’t feature hosting links – those are the bits Julia Morris and Robert Irwin (pictured) used to do in the treetop studio throwing to events in the camp
Inside Mail hears Seven has been brutal in slashing the budget for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, which it picked up after Ten let the show go.
Sources reveal the show will only film for two-and-a-half weeks and, like 10’s recent version, will not be live.
The episodes will be shot back-to-back and spaced out.
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Another big change is the lack of hosting links – those are the bits Julia Morris and Robert Irwin used to do in the treetop studio throwing to events in the camp. Instead, the hosts will simply voice any narrative needed.
We’re also hearing production company ITV Studios is struggling to fill key roles behind the scenes due to contract conditions that give crew few breaks and minimal cash.
Will viewers see the difference, though?
Yes, the lack of a live element has certainly been noticed in recent years – but pre-recording is the only way to make a show of this scale stack up financially. Ultimately, Australian crews have a knack for making programs look more expensive than they are and, aside from losing the live edge, viewers will likely notice little difference from earlier seasons.
Expect more information soon – including who will be hosting – once Seven makes its big announcements for 2027.
No laughing matter
Austen Tayshus is currently touring regional Australia celebrating the 43rd anniversary of ‘Australiana’.
But things didn’t go so well last month at the Yarraman Hotel in Queensland when Tayshus, whose real name is ‘Sandy’ Gutman, turned on a member of the 20-something-strong crowd because they weren’t laughing along to his iconic spoken-word song.
‘What’s it going to take to make you laugh, mate? You’re a tough f**king customer,’ he suddenly barked in the middle of the routine.
Stand-up comedian Austen Tayshus turned on a member of the audience at a recent show at the Yarraman Hotel in Queensland
‘All the people around you are p**sing themselves. There’s got to be something wrong with you – not with this routine or any of the other people.’
Footage posted on the Yarraman Facebook page shows there were plenty of laughs in the audience on the night – despite the small turnout and empty seats – but Tayshus wasn’t ready to let the lack of laughter go.
‘You’re f**ked up. You’re f**king idiots. It’s not our fault, is it? Because the parents said, “You’re not going to school. Go in the back room and kick the f**king ball when you stupid car.”‘
Charming.
It’s not the first time Gutman has turned on a crowd.
During an infamous episode of the now-defunct morning show Studio 10, Tayshus was the fifth panellist talking hot topics throughout the morning. As the tension in the studio slowly rose with deafening silence, Tayshus turned to the audience and yelled ‘What’s wrong with you people? This is funny!’
Comedians having to deal with hecklers is as old as time, but turning on a crowd for not laughing probably says more about you than it does them. Tayshus would be better off focusing on those who were laughing along and having a great time.
Don’t let one bad apple spoil the bunch.
GetUp! jumps to conclusions
GetUp! appears to have quietly scrubbed a video featuring content creator and self-described ‘court jester’ Hayden Rodgers after it drew attention for leaping to conclusions in the immediate aftermath of the attack on independent MP Helen Haines.
The now-deleted post opened with a note of caution, telling followers: ‘This is a developing story and we don’t know everything.’
The next line, however, was far less restrained.
‘But we do know that this is where far-right politics and the hatred it drives always lead.’
The post disappeared within hours as more details emerged about Haines’ alleged attacker.
In its place, GetUp! uploaded a fresh video fronted by chief executive Daniel Ilic, striking a noticeably more measured tone and urging supporters to donate blood following the incident.
GetUp! appears to have quietly scrubbed a video featuring content creator and self-described ‘court jester’ Hayden Rodgers after it drew attention for leaping to conclusions in the immediate aftermath of the attack on independent MP Helen Haines
‘This is senseless violence against one of the most hard-working and decent representatives we have in Parliament, chosen by her community,’ the new caption read.
But the earlier post had already caught the attention of eagle-eyed followers.
‘What happened to your first video you posted when you cited the motive without any facts or information?’ one commenter asked beneath the replacement video.
Minns IS brat
NSW Labor appears to be dusting off a campaign playbook from an overseas election that didn’t exactly end in victory.
Inside Mail spies have spotted a new Instagram account, Minns HQ, which is followed by several figures connected to Premier Chris Minns’ office.
The branding and tone bear more than a passing resemblance to ‘Kamala HQ’, the social media vehicle used by Kamala Harris‘ ill-fated 2024 White House campaign.
Inside Mail wonders whether borrowing from a campaign that crashed and burned against Donald Trump is really the smartest move heading into a tight state election contest, where One Nation is set to play the role of wildcard in a number of races in Labor heartland.
Inside Mail spies have spotted a new Instagram account, Minns HQ, which is followed by several figures connected to Premier Chris Minns’ office
Whether it’s also a successful electoral strategy remains to be seen.
One thing’s for certain: if NSW Labor’s next move involves declaring Chris Minns ‘brat’, voters may have questions.
We can only hope Charli XCX isn’t already on the payroll.
Whoops!
Victorian Labor MPs were left furious after Premier Ben Carroll was caught driving away from a service station without paying for fuel, with some viewing the incident as another avoidable misstep for the state’s new leader.
The episode is particularly awkward for Carroll, who served as a minister in the Andrews government when Labor championed a tough law-and-order message on petrol theft.
Inside Mail recalls Labor’s 2018 ‘We See You Too’ campaign, a nearly $100,000 Crime Stoppers Victoria initiative aimed at motorists who fill up and drive off without paying, with the government vowing to help police crack down on fuel theft.
At the time, the Andrews government vowed to crack down on fuel theft, declaring: ‘Petrol thieves who fill up then flee will be the focus of a new campaign to help Victoria Police crack down on fuel theft.’
Just months ago, former Premier Jacinta Allan also warned that service station drive-offs were becoming increasingly common and made clear the government’s position.
‘We are seeing a rise in the incidence of drive-offs at service stations, and it is an illegal practice,’ she said.
‘It needs to be prosecuted.’
Ben Carroll (pictured) left Labor MPs fuming after he failed to pay after filling up at the servo
Labor MPs are increasingly concerned that Ben Carroll has chalked up another unforced error with just 37 days remaining until election day, compounding frustrations inside the party after attempts to make abortion a defining campaign issue failed to gain traction.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson‘s decision to back Labor’s own abortion policy has blunted in what many in Labor had considered a ‘hail Mary’ move, leaving MPs questioning the government’s campaign strategy at a critical stage of the race.
‘Circus of rejects’
With the NSW election looming, the Liberals are watching a growing One Nation wannabe candidate list with a mix of amusement, as a parade of former Coalition figures eye political comebacks under a different banner.
One NSW Liberal MP told Inside Mail the prospective candidates looked less like a fresh team and more like a ‘circus of rejects’, with a collection of former MPs, senators and unsuccessful hopefuls seeking another shot at elected office.
Liberal MPs have called wannabe One Nation candidates like Katherine Deves (pictured) a ‘circus of rejects’
Among them is former senator Hollie Hughes, who quit the Liberal Party after her ally Sussan Ley was toppled from the leadership.
Former upper house MP Lou Amato is also eyeing a return after being dumped from the Coalition ticket ahead of the 2023 election.
Former Warringah candidate Katherine Deves has likewise flagged her interest in running, adding another familiar face to One Nation’s expanding ranks.
The prospective lineup has left some Liberals scratching their heads over how One Nation leader Mike Newman plans to pitch himself as an agent of political change while stocking his shop with candidates voters have already seen before.
As one Liberal told Inside Mail, One Nation’s NSW campaign is beginning to look less like a recruitment drive and more like ‘the political reunion tour no one asked for’.
