'I wasn't at my best… I was cooked': Karl Stefanovic admits Today show axing was a 'relief' as he 'struggled' with the heightened publicity of his new marriage and it took a toll on his mental state
Karl Stefanovic returned to the spotlight at the Logie Awards on Sunday night.
And while attending a 'recovery brunch' on the Gold Coast the following day, the Channel Nine star spoke candidly about his sacking from the Today show last year.
In a surprising admission, the 44-year-old told guests it was actually a 'relief' when he was finally given his marching orders by network bosses.
'It was a relief': While attending a post-Logies 'recovery brunch' on Monday, Karl Stefanovic spoke candidly about his sacking from the Today show last year
Karl explained that he 'struggled' with the media scrutiny he received in the months before his dismissal.
'Towards the end of last year, I was cooked,' he said, adding that the 'unwarranted' attention surrounding his personal life had taken its toll.
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In the second half of 2018, Karl found himself in a whirlwind of negative publicity in the lead-up to his wedding to shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico.
His popularity had been on a steady decline ever since he separated from his first wife Cassandra Thorburn in 2016, with female viewers turning their backs on him.
Shock exit: In a surprising admission, the 44-year-old told guests it was actually a 'relief' when he was finally given his marching orders by network bosses. Pictured with Lisa Wilkinson
'[The sacking] wasn't a great surprise to me. In fact, it was a relief in many ways that I was taken off the Today show because I just wasn't at my best,' he said on Monday.
'You can't be doing that show unless you're at the top of your game.'
Karl added that he needed to take a break from television to focus on himself and get back to a good place again.
Bad times: 'Towards the end of last year, I was cooked,' Karl said, adding that the 'unwarranted' attention surrounding his personal life had taken its toll
Karl's axing came amid a broader staff reshuffle at Channel Nine, with his brother Peter departing the network and Today's newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys being 'redeployed' to A Current Affair.
Since Karl's exit, the Today show has struggled to find an audience with an all-female lineup consisting of Deborah Knight and Georgie Gardner.
In a bid to improve ratings, Channel Nine recently promoted newsreader Tom Steinfort to the anchor desk.
Comeback: Karl laughed off a few jokes at his expense during Sunday night's Logie Awards
Meanwhile, Karl laughed off a few jokes at his expense during Sunday night's Logie Awards.
In his first major public appearance since getting sacked, he was savagely roasted throughout the ceremony by the likes of Tom Gleeson and Kerry O'Brien.
Fortunately, he took the jibes in good humour and said afterwards that he was looking forward to his first ever post-Logies 'lie in' without having to worry about hosting breakfast TV at 5:30am.
Ouch! In his first major public appearance since getting sacked, Karl was savagely roasted throughout the ceremony by the likes of Tom Gleeson (pictured) and Kerry O'Brien
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