Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson are said to be at loggerheads over their rumoured Today reunion.
WATCH: Karl Stefanovic praises former co-host Lisa Wilkinson
Just days after the former colleagues were said were said to have taken part in top-secret negotiations to return to the breakfast program, along with entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins and newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys, all hell has broken loose.
According to New Idea, Lisa is now considering pulling out of the highly anticipated reunion after Today aired an interview with controversial politician Pauline Hanson, following the murder of Brisbane’s Hannah Clarke and her three children at the hands of their father and Hannah’s estranged husband, Rowan Baxter.
“Lisa is absolutely furious and appalled,” the well-placed source told the publication.
Speaking to Today hosts Karl and Allison Langdon, Pauline called the murder-suicide “treacherous” but called on Australians not to demonise all men in reaction to the horrific crime.
“Don’t bastardise all men out there, or women for that matter, because these things happen,” she said.
The usually private Lisa is said to have been furious at Pauline’s rant, taking to Twitter shortly after the segment aired to express her opinions.
“Why oh why does breakfast TV continue to give this woman a regular weekly platform?” she wrote on Twitter, alongside a picture of the One Nation leader.
“She is dangerous. Worse, she is taking these attitudes to her role as deputy chair of the Family Law inquiry.”
Insiders say Lisa was particularly frustrated with Karl, whom she was looking forward to reconnecting with, and feels he should have opposed the interview going to air at such a sensitive time, even if it was a publicity stunt to spike ratings.
“Lisa had a go [at Karl] because even in her days when they needed a publicity spike, they would roll in Pauline, which she used to fight against,” dishes our source.
“But Karl and the Nine boys club always won.
“She really hated that and would walk out of production meetings. But more importantly, bringing in Pauline to discuss this tragedy would have upset her 100 times more.
“Lisa used to hate when she was at Today and Karl would tell producers to ring Pauline – she would just roll her eyes.”
So, it comes as no surprise that it wasn’t just a producer’s decision to bring Pauline on to the program.
“Karl and Pauline are on speed dial,” the source continues. “Let’s face it, they both knew it was mutually beneficial [for Pauline to be on the show].
“At the end of the day, they both got the headlines.”
However, Karl’s eagerness to boost ratings may have come at a cost, as Lisa is now said to be refusing to reunite with her former colleague on the show.
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