Awkward moment Karl Stefanovic discusses Australia's richest people - after his huge pay gap with co-host Sarah Abo is revealed in similar list

Daily Mail​

29-05-2025

Karl Stefanovic experienced an awkward moment during a segment on Thursday's Today show about Australia's richest people.
The veteran presenter, 50, was discussing The Financial Review Rich List when reporter Jayne Azzopardi said Gina Rinehart topped the list with a whopping $38.1 billion.
' New South Wales has been named as the wealthiest state. It is home to 81 Rich Listers,' Jayne told co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo.
'However, Gina Rinehart's wealth dropped by $2billion!'
Karl then revealed his theory as to why her fortune slightly dipped.
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'You see, she gives so much away to charity,' Karl said.
In a bizarre moment, Karl then trailed off about his own friendship with Rinehart and her love of good quality meat.
He said he had personally dined with the Aussie heiress and said she served only the finest cuts.
'Her steak - have you eaten her meat? She's got delicious meat, some of the best steak I have ever had. That will surprise no one, that I have eaten really expensive steak,' Karl boasted.
Sarah then asked Karl what one of Gina's prize steaks was worth, but he remained tight-lipped.
The segment follows reports that 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 is currently being paid an eye-watering $2million more than his co-host Sarah.
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 he was the highest paid small screen star, bringing home a formidable $2.8million annually, making almost three times as much as Sarah, 39.
This is in stark contrast to his Today counterpart who comes in at tenth place with a salary of $800,000.
It was also reported that his 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 Sarah.
Meanwhile Seven's highest paid star, Gold Logie winner Larry Emdur, sits in fourth place on $1.6million, while Sunrise host Natalie Barr came in fifth on $1.3million.
While there is quite a considerable gulf in salary between Karl and Sarah, the former has been in the Today chair for almost two decades while his co-host joined in 2023.
Karl 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.