Latest news with #SarahAbo
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Karl Stefanovic and his Today co-host Sarah Abo's HUGE pay gap exposed in TV Rich List - as Nine's male stars earn over a million dollars more than their female colleagues
Disputes over pay parity in TV Land could be set to erupt again following a bombshell report revealing the salaries of Australian television's brightest stars. The Australian's inaugural TV Rich List report claimed that Nine star Karl Stefanovic is currently being paid an eye-watering $2million more than his Today show co-host Sarah Abo. The report has collated the 35 highest salaries among TV stars on Australia's three commercial networks - Channel Seven, Nine and Network 10. It revealed that Stefanovic, 50, is the highest paid small screen star, bringing home a formidable $2.8million annually, making almost three times as much as Abo, 39. This is in stark contrast to his Today counterpart who comes in at tenth place with a salary of $800,000. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. It was also reported that Stefanovic's salary is almost as much as sitting chief executive Matt Stanton ($1.6 million) and his predecessor Mike Sneesby ($1.5 million) combined. It appears that Nine has the deepest pockets out of the three commercial networks, with six of its stars making the top ten. The Block host Scott Cam trailed close behind Stefanovic on $2.4million, while Lego Masters star Hamish Blake sits third on $2million. The top ten Nine contingent is rounded out by newsreaders Alison Langdon ($1.2million), Peter Overton ($1 million) and Abo. Meanwhile Seven's highest paid star, Gold Logie winner Larry Emdur sits in fourth place at $1.6million, while Sunrise host Natalie Barr came in fifth on $1.3million. Meanwhile, Network Ten did not feature in the top ten at all, with their highest paid star Waleed Aly coming in at number 12 on $700,000. Stefanovic wears a few different caps at Nine, having worked as a reporter on 60 Minutes. He has also filled in for presenters on Nine Radio (formerly Macquarie Media) stations 2GB and 4BC This is also in stark contrast to Aly's Project co-star Sarah Harris, who clocked in at number 24 on $500,000 - $200,000 less than her co-host. While there is quite a considerable gulf in salary between Stefanovic and Abo, the former has been in the Today chair for almost two decades while his co-host joined in 2023. Stefanovic wears a few different caps at Nine, having worked as a reporter on 60 Minutes as well as helming the short-lived series, This Time Next Year. He has also filled in for presenters on Nine Radio (formerly Macquarie Media) stations 2GB and 4BC. Former Network Ten producer Rob McKnight told the publication these eye-watering salaries could soon be a thing of the past with the exception of the breakfast stars. 'The days of big network contracts are long gone,' he told the publication. 'With smaller revenues, TV networks can't afford to have big stars sitting on contracts doing nothing.' 'While there are still some exceptions due to historical deals, performers are more likely to be paid on a per show basis,' he added. 'The exception to this rule is news and breakfast shows. As these shows go all year round, hosts are signed up to multi-year contracts.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nine for comment. It's not the first time discussions about pay parity have popped up around Stefanovic, with his former co-host Lisa Wilkinson leaving the network in 2017 over a reported salary dispute. The Australian had previously reported that Karl was earning at least $2 million a year in a three-year contract, with a potential bonus that could take his salary to $3 million if ratings were hit. Lisa was also was said by the Daily Telegraph to have been on a $1.1 million-a-year contract, with Nine only willing to increase the amount to $1.8million. The amount was claimed to have not been enough for her to stay with the network and she defected to Ten where she co-hosted The Project. Nine CEO Hugh Marks spoke out on the claims, saying he offered Lisa $1.8million, but that she asked for $2.3 million. 'I went to an incredible amount of trouble to build that [$1.8million] package for her. She wanted $2.3million,' he told the publication.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Karl and Sarah's enormous pay gap exposed in Aussie TV Rich List
Today host Karl Stefanovic earns an eye-watering $2 million more per year than co-host Sarah Abo, according to an in-depth report released today. The Australian 's inaugural TV Rich List collates the 35 highest salaries among TV stars on Australia's three commercial networks, Channel 7, Channel 9 and Network 10. The list runs from Karl in the top spot with an annual salary of $2.8 million, to stablemate and 60 Minutes reporter Amelia Adams at 35 with $300,000. And Nine dominates the list with six out of the 10 highest-paid stars, including the all-male top three. Longtime The Block host Scott Cam is not too far behind Stefanovic with an annual salary of $2.4 million, with Lego Masters host Hamish Blake on $2 million. The Morning Show host Larry Emdur is Seven's highest-paid star but has to settle for fourth place on the list with his $1.6 million annual salary. His Seven colleague Natalie Barr rounds out the top five, as the highest-paid woman on the list with an annual salary of $1.3 million. Stefanovic's co-host Sarah Abo sits at number 11 on the Rich List, with an annual salary of $800,00 – a whopping $2 million behind her co-host. Of course, Stefanovic has been co-host of Today for almost two decades now, whereas Abo only joined him in 2023. But Stefanovic's pay disparity with his succession of female co-hosts has long been a point of conjecture – it was enough to lead his most famous on-air partner, Lisa Wilkinson, to leave the network in 2017, frustrated over the wide pay gap between them. The full 35-name list is dominated by personalities from Nine and Seven, with presenters on Ten making just three appearances (Waleed Aly is the network's highest-paid star, on $700,000). The Australian.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Backlash over Today Show hosts' 'out of touch' trip to Dubai and stay at $1500-a-night hotel during the deadly NSW floods - as Karl Stefanovic's wife Jasmine tags along and shows off their luxury digs
Today show viewers have slammed Channel Nine for sending the show's hosts to broadcast live from Dubai amid the record-breaking NSW floods. The breakfast program's hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo are currently staying at the Atlantis The Royal hotel in The Palm Jumeirah. The five-star accommodation starts from $1,400 for a weeknight and $1,600 for a weekend night. However, many have criticised Nine for making the decision to broadcast the show in the luxurious city while deadly floods continue to lash parts of NSW, resulting in five deaths and damaging up to 10,000 properties. 'Just want relay my disappointment how can the Today show promote a $20k suite in Dubai, when we have a cost of living crisis in Australia and over 30,000 people cut off in NSW from the floods? Seriously?' one person wrote on social media. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'And which viewer at home can afford $1000 a night to stay there. They are so out of touch,' another said. 'There's a disconnect between the show going and the viewers caring at home. It might get some tourist interest/return for Dubai as a result but it's not a viewer first initiative,' a third commented. '[Not] a good idea when you have a flooding disaster in Australia, but the hosts are reporting from overseas on a luxury trip,' another wrote. Karl, Sarah and other presenters on the Today Show including Richard Wilkins jetted to the United Arab Emirates on Friday. Karl is also joined by his wife Jasmine and their five-year-old daughter Harper who have been enjoying the holiday. Jasmine has been showing off their luxurious hotel on Instagram by regularly posting photos with her followers. It comes as more than 32,000 people remain isolated by floodwaters and about 400 properties have been deemed inhabitable or destroyed, according to the NSW State Emergency Service. More rain and strong winds are expected to impact recovery efforts with a risk of landslides and toppling trees in coming days. Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology said strong winds coming through on Monday and Tuesday could hamper recovery efforts. 'We're talking about winds of 60-80km/h, which could cause a lot of damage for a lot of trees coming down,' he said. Premier Chris Minns visited Taree and said the state government wants to help the community get back on its feet as soon as possible. Hardship and disaster grants are planned to become available in the coming days and efforts to improve flood resilience in Taree and other communities will follow. But previous attempts, while well intentioned, had not always delivered in areas hit by flooding. 'We're determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past, given we're having more and more of these natural disasters,' Minns said.
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Today host Karl Stefanovic eyeing new role on Nine's biggest show amid contract negotiations
He is Nine's well-known breakfast TV star. And now there's speculation that Karl Stefanovic is seeking to get a permanent spot on the network's latest ratings hit. Insiders at Nine have revealed that the 50-year-old media veteran wants Rodger Corser's place as host of The Floor Australia. The family friendly game show has been Nine's number one entertainment program since it debuted late last month. Sources at Nine revealed to on Friday that Karl has shown interest in hosting the program after appearing on a promo of the prime time hit ahead of the show's April 28 premiere. Insiders told the publication that Nine management, who are due to negotiate with Karl over his current $3million contract, were left unsure how to respond to the stars interest in taking on Corser's role. Insiders at Nine have revealed that the 50-year-old media veteran wants Rodger Corser's (pictured) place as host on prime time ratings winner The Floor Australia Corser appeared in the promo on The Floor set in which Karl was seen 'duelling' with his Today co-host Sarah Abo on the topic of 'breakfast foods'. Sarah beat Karl in their first round, but the TV host made a comeback in their second round, where the pair were quizzed on bands. It comes after The Floor Australia has proven to be a massive - and surprising - prime time ratings winner for Nine. The quiz show has won its 7.30pm slot ever since it dropped three weeks ago. Based on a hugely successful Dutch format that spawned a hit US iteration featuring 80s star Rob Lowe, the Aussie version scored a staggering 1,171,000 viewers nationally when it debuted on April 28. Over on Seven, long-running dating show Farmer Wants a Wife got nowhere near its new rival on the same night, attracting an average Total TV national audience of 833,000. Screening on Mondays and Tuesday evenings, the trivia game is the biggest entertainment show on Australian TV right now. For three weeks, it has finished in the third spot in the Total TV Overnight Top 30 Programs survey. Tuesday's episode pulled in an average national audience of 1,073,000 while Farmer Wants A Wife managed 764,000 viewers across the country. The Total TV national audience combines audience averages calculated by networks in the metro and regional areas on free-to-air television and broadcast video on demand. While the show has shed viewers over the last few weeks it remains enormously successful. Created as an elimination game that starts with 81 contestants, players have a chance to win $200,000 in prize money. Using a large floor with coloured tiles that flash topics, contestants go head-to-head as they are tested on topics such as Australian cuisine, famous characters, and gold medallists.
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Sexist': Karl Stefanovic grills new Liberal leader
New Liberal leader Sussan Ley has been confronted with a series of brutal questions on national television on how long she's got in the top job as a fight brews over nuclear power. Speaking this morning on the Today show, Ms Ley has launched a breakfast TV blitz across multiple channels. But hosts Sarah Abo and Karl Stefanovic didn't miss with the tough questions about why it's taken so long for the Liberal Party to promote women. 'What took your party so long to elect a female leader,'' Stefanovic asked. 'Are they sexist or something? A diplomat Sussan Ley said she was proud to be the first female leader but stressed there were bigger issues ahead. 'We've had outstanding leaders of our party, I'm incredibly humbled to have the endorsement of my party room just a few days ago, to be the leader of the Liberal Party, it's an incredible honour,'' she said. 'Now Karl, people reflect on the female aspects and I understand that. And I want to say it's significant, but my appointment is about much more than that, we didn't meet the expectations of the Australian people at the last election. 'We have to change, we have to. Step up, we have to have a fresh approach.' Host Sarah Abo then asked if it was the case that she was 'partly responsible for this absolute bloodbath at this last election as Peter Dutton's deputy.' 'Sarah, we all have to accept responsibility and I don't step back from that and after every election, we look at what went wrong, at what we didn't do that we should have done, and we'll do that in an open and transparent way,'' Ms Ley replied. 'Look, Peter Dutton and I have different styles, we're different personalities, and I will bring a different approach to my leadership. Again, harnessing the team and we will look, we will look at, well, we will look at what we did wrong, done better. There's a storm brewing in the Coalition over the fate of nuclear power with reports Nationals leader David Littleproud travelled to Albury, NSW to hold talks with Sussan Ley over a new Coalition agreement. Some are suggesting the Nationals want to lock in nuclear as part of that formal suggestion but the Liberals want to thrash it out after the disastrous election outcome. The Nationals leader travelled to Albury for talks with Ms Ley where she is caring for her mother who is in end of life care. 'I had a productive and respectful meeting with David Littleproud yesterday here in Albury and it was the first of many meetings, and I look forward to continuing discussions,'' Ms Ley said. 'Again, what unites our two party rooms is that unity and sense of purpose to take it up on behalf of the Australian people, families, communities, individuals who want to get ahead, who the Liberal Party will always back, will always back their aspirations.' 'Are you nuking nuclear,'' host Stefanovic asked. 'Well, I'm not here to talk about individual policies, nothing's been adopted, nothing's been abandoned.' She was then asked if she was likely to be replaced before the next election by a man. 'You deserve your place there and there's no doubt about you've worked incredibly hard to do to get there,'' Stefanovic asked. 'But my worry is you do all the hard work rebuilding the party, then at some point some dude in the blue suit and RM Williams takes over because they just think a liberal woman or the wrong liberal woman can win an election.' 'Well that's not the response I've had Karl,'' Ms Ley replied. 'I've got to be really honest, I've had a terrific and positive response.'
