Karl Stefanovic will leave Nine after nearly two decades on the Today show, following a podcast interview with far-right British figure Tommy Robinson.
Nine chief executive Matt Stanton informed staff in an email on Friday that it was the "right time" for Stefanovic to move on, the Sydney Morning Herald — owned by Nine — reported.
"Karl has been a fixture on our screens for over two decades, so we know this is a significant change for our viewers and all of us here at Nine, however it’s the right time to make it," Stanton said in the email.
In a statement to SBS News, Nine said Stefanovic was already set to leave the network at the end of the year.
"Nine Entertainment and Karl Stefanovic have agreed that it is no longer possible for him to continue hosting Today at the same time as his independent podcast," a spokesperson told SBS News.
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"While Karl and Nine had previously agreed he would leave Today at the end of this year, they have subsequently decided he will leave the Network immediately."
Executives finalised the terms of his exit on Friday morning, ending his run as Australia's highest-paid television presenter.
It remains unclear whether Nine will pay out the estimated $1 million balance of his contract.
This is a developing story and this article will be updated.
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