Seven years ago Whispers joined a battery of Nine Network stars at a Kings Cross restaurant to celebrate the launch of celebrity interviewer Richard Wilkins' book Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms.Nine's then head honcho David Gyngell was there along with Australia's powerful music mogul, Sony boss Denis Handlin.
TV colleagues who joined the throng included Georgie Gardner and Lisa Wilkinson with Karl Stefanovic who launched Wilkins' book with some pretty raunchy tales. They were all at the peak of their careers. Now they have crashed and burned and their careers lie in tatters.
left- Wilkins with Vanessa Amarosi at his book launch.
A Nine insider has told Whispers that the rot began not with Stevanic's over hyped wedding, rather in 2017 with the pay negotiations over presenter Lisa Wilkinson who demanded $Millions or she would defect to Network Ten's The Project. Our source says Nine's management were more than happy to see her leave and only half-heartedly continued negotiations.
The departing Today crew that includes Richard Wilkins, well passed his prime as a star interviewer and presenter Karl Stefanovic may have believed as many TV presenters do -that they were irreplaceable and more powerful than the show they fronted.
Our Nine spy says senior management were secretly delighted over the endless tabloid tales of the Stefanovic shenanigans and were determined to use Karl's courting of the media as a reason to clear the decks.
His sale of his wedding snaps to a rival magazine lead to the coup de grâce. Georgie Gardner remains having never (sensibly) rocked the boat.You can be sure those pretty younger faces who replace the other sacked Today crew are on a fraction of the wages of their predecessors.
right- Georgie Gardner & Lisa Wilkinson at Wilkins' book launch.
Predictions:
# Our source says Karl Stevanovic is sure to end up on the board of his close pal James Packer's Crown Casino in Sydney.
# Difficult to imagine where Richard Wilkins goes from here except downwards.
# And there are warning bells for a particular high profile publicist who seems to court publicity with numerous clients questioning their involvement with her.
Below: Karl on Christmas Day:
