What is Karl Stefanovic’s net worth?

• e-mail

Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough called off their marriage without any explanation and guests were told to cancel their flights to the ceremony apparently scheduled to happen at billionaire James Packer’s Argentinian polo ranch later on in the year.

The Today host and his shoe designer girlfriend have not made alternative plans and the wedding seems to be up in the air, while friends and family wait to see if the event will happen this year, especially after James Packer checked into a mental health facility in March.

The casino mogul allegedly told Karl Stefanovic that he could not use his Cabo San Lucas ranch and the Channel Nine star was forced to plead with James Packer to let them reschedule. Karl’s ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn said this fiasco was ‘laughable’. But what is KarL Stefanovic’s net worth?

Karl Stefanovic attends the Witchery x OCRF White Shirt Campaign Launch 2018 in Sydney

Who is Karl Stefanovic?

Born on August 12, 1974 in Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Karl Stefanovic studied journalism at university before taking up a position with TVNZ as a reporter for One Network News in New Zealand. In 1998, Kark returned to Australia and worked for Ten News in Brisbane.

Two years later he moved to the Nine Network and started out as a reporter and back-up presenter for National Nine News. After covering the Warragamba bushfires, he was given a role to Nine’s Sydney newsroom.

Stefanovic went on to replace Today host Steve Liebmann in 2005 and still presents the show to this day. Karl has also filled in on A Current Affair and participated on Torvill and Dean’s Dancing on Ice. He also worked on Carols by Candlelight and is a reporter on 60 Minutes.

He met Cassandra Thorburn in 1995 and they later married, having three children together before separating after 21 years. Their divorce was finalised in October 2017.

Stefanovic went on to replace Steve Liebmann in 2005 and still presents Today to this day

Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough

After meeting on a Sydney Harbour boat cruise in December 2016, Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough were seen kissing the following February and their romance was confirmed. A year later, the pair were engaged despite claiming to take things slowly.

'We are taking things really, really slowly. I certainly did not expect to meet someone five months after I broke up with my wife. That was not planned. I met her on a boat in Sydney. We have a really lovely relationship, but it's got to be slow for a variety of reasons,' Karl said.

They made their first appearance at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and spent time together in Bora Bora and Mexico, where Karl met Jasmine’s parents for the first time. However, many slammed Karl’s quick move from Cassandra to Jasmine, including former KIIS FM radio host Meshel Laurie.

The radio host blasted their displays of affection as ‘insensitive’ and ‘shameless’. 

'It feels a little insensitive, obviously I don't know these people. Is it criminal? No. Is it illegal? No, is it a bit bloody shameless and rotten? Maybe.’

Karl Stefanovic and his wife Cassandra Thorburn arrive ahead of the 2011 Logie Awards

'All you ever see are photos of the ex [Cassandra] cleaning the house. She's got the kids, she's doing the life and Karl's at Fashion Week or flying off overseas,' she added. Cassandra penned an open letter to reveal she was 'happy' and plead for media comparisons between Jasmine and herself to stop.

'I don't feel the need to exact revenge on Karl for leaving me - I'm just happy to be starting a new chapter of my life. I went to everything from Derby Day to fashion shows [and] I find it very hurtful they feel the need to compare Karl's new girlfriend Jasmine with me,' she continued.

Claims Karl and Jasmine were engaged first emerged near the end of 2017 with rumours that the couple's 'wide circle of friends' received loved-up text messages that confirmed the engagement. They also claimed the pair are remaining silent in public to protect a 'media deal'.

However, in June 2018, it was reported that Karl and Jasmine’s marriage plans had been cancelled ‘without explanation’ and have been telling guests to cancel their flights with no new date or venue on the cards.

Wedding plans are now uncertain because of Karl’s relationship with his friend James Packer who checked into a mental health facility in March 2018. James's team of professionals apparently told him to put some distance between himself and his 'rowdy party mates', including Karl.

Packer allegedly then told Karl he couldn't marry Jasmine at his newly-purchased ranch in Cabo San Lucas, which led to the Channel Nine star to 'desperately plead' with him to let them reschedule.

Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough attend the Emirates Marquee on Derby Day in 2017

Karl Stefanovic net worth

While Karl Stefanovic’s net worth has been rumoured as $10 million (£7.5m), it has not been confirmed, but he is considered to be one of the highest-paid stars on Australian television. The Today show host’s salary garnered a lot of media attention after Lisa Wilkinson quit after a reported lack of pay parity with Karl.

According to news.com.au, Karl Stefanovic earned at least AU$2 million (£1.1m) a year with a bonus that could take his salary up to just below AU$3 million (£1.7m) if ratings targets were hit. Lisa was reported to have been on a contract worth $1.1 million (£626,000) a year before her departure from the show.

She was offered an increase to $1.8 million (£1m) but that was not enough to make her stay; Lisa is thought to be earning over $2 million (£1.1m) at Ten. In response to this, a Nine staffer revealed that because Karl also worked with 60 Minutes, their roles were not equal.

Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs Darren Wick confirmed the negotiations came to an ‘impasse’. 

‘We have been trying to negotiate this contract for near on six months and haven’t been able to come to terms. After six months of negotiation both parties have made their positions clear.’

Lisa’s replacement Georgie Gardner is thought to be on $750,000 (£426,000) for the new gig, a bump from $500,000 (£284,000) a year. Karl’s divorce and subsequent money struggles with Cassandra Thorburn also caught the attention of the media.

Simon Creek for the Sydney Morning Herald reported: ‘Stefanovic was the primary income earner throughout the marriage, hauling himself out of bed five days a week to make the family fortune.

‘It was Stefanovic who had to bear being routinely ridiculed by the national media and viewers for his “goofball” TV antics, while forging a career and profile in a tough industry.’ 

However, the article also revealed that former Today presenter Ben Fordham said that ‘there’s no question that Cass [was] a crucial ingredient in Karl’s success’.

Cassandra Thorburn and Karl Stefanovic attend the Global Illumination Gala Dinner 2008

In the marriage that lasted over 21 years, Cassandra seemed to act as the traditional mother and wife and would ‘struggle to re-establish her career, following two decades of standing loyally by her husband’s side as a somewhat “traditional wife and mother”.’

After their separation, it was rumoured that Stefanovic had agreed to a ‘divorce financial/property settlement’ and from the deal, Karl received $500,000 (£284,000) out of the couple’s combined net worth of $6.5 million (£3.7m) as well as his Mercedes Benz car. Cassandra got the remaining $6 million (£3.4m), 92 per cent of the asset pool.

Creek, a managing director and special counsel in divorce law, believed that Cassandra is able to enter the workforce and earn the same as her ex-husband. 

‘Perhaps Mr Stefanovic is shortly to inherit a large fortune. Maybe he is heading off to the United States, where sports commentators earn more money than President Trump and all his children combined,’ he said.