Karl Stefanovic is no stranger to headlines after his firing and rehiring at Nine’s Today show following a number of controversies, including his very bitter marriage breakdown and the infamous Ubergate scandal.
WATCH: Karl mimics Hannibal to address Ubergate and marriage breakdown
But rather than shy away from his issues, he has gone rogue in a new ad for the morning breakfast show by addressing them as he mimics Hannibal Lecter.
It comes after it was revealed that Nine breakfast show’s ratings are lower than ever.
The new look line-up – which includes the 45-year-old and former 60 Minutes star Allison – appears to be struggling against its rival, Sunrise, according to Confidential.
“Executives would be going, ‘Oh my god, we thought this was going to be hard but we are not getting an early bounce’,” media analyst Steve Allen revealed to the publication.
“You better get used to those early mornings again,” Allison “Ally” Langdon, who plays Clarice Starling, tells him.
“I’ve missed the smell of morning coffee,” he replies, as he stands in a cell, just like Anthony Hopkins in the famous films.
“Apparently I’ve been a very naughty boy,” he added.
“This time Karl things are going to be different,” Ally says.
“I want my old dressing room back,” Karl says.
“They gave it to me,” Ally smirks.
“No!” he says.
“Everyone is watching Karl, are you going to behave?” Ally asks.
“Well, you are just going to have to trust me,” he tells his new co-host before she wheels him away.
It comes after it was revealed that Nine breakfast show’s ratings are lower than ever.
The new look line-up – which includes the 45-year-old and former 60 Minutes star Allison – appears to be struggling against its rival, Sunrise, according to Confidential.
“Executives would be going, ‘Oh my god, we thought this was going to be hard but we are not getting an early bounce’,” media analyst Steve Allen revealed to the publication.
“It is going to be a long game, the audience isn’t going to break their viewing habit quickly,” an industry executive told Daily Telegraph’s Confidential earlier this month.
“It was premature for people to get excited by the first week’s figures. The brief honeymoon that accompanied the return of Karl with his new on air partner Allison Langdon at this stage was short lived. Sam [Armytage] and Kochie [David Koch] don’t seem to have too much to worry about yet.”
“We have been consistently saying that this will take time. Karl reappearing on screen isn’t going to mean all of the people that left the show have suddenly forgiven him. It will take time and he will need to keep his act clean and need to stay out of the headlines on anything about his personal life and his relationship with others inside the network.”
The new look line-up hit 199,000 people in the national five city metro market. Meanwhile, axed presenters Georgie Gardner and Deb Knight hit 211,000 this same time last year.
The figures will most certainly hurt Nine execs, who took a bet on Karl winning back audiences on the ailing breakfast show after ditching the presenter at the end of 2018.
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