Karl Stefanovic hits back at ex-wife: 'I'm not going anywhere'

Earlier this week Today host Karl Stefanovic’s ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn claimed she and their children are “dead to his family and almost anyone from our old life” and have “been discarded and disposed of”.

A day later Karl’s family issued a statement, and now the 44-year-old presenter himself has spoken out.

“First and foremost, I’m a dad… and I’m not going anywhere. I love my kids,” he told The Daily Telegraph.

“I don’t want my silence, or the fact that my children aren’t visibly front and centre with me for everyone to see, to be misinterpreted as absence. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

It’s been two years since her split from Karl after 21 years of marriage, and on Wednesday Cassandra opened up about the impact the breakup has had on her and the three children she shares with her ex, Jackson, 18, Ava, 12, and River, 10.

“Last year, I declared that Karl really was dead to me, a man I no longer know, but the children still have their father,” she told The Australian Women’s Weekly.

“The flip-side of that is I feel like we’re dead to his family and almost anyone from our old life.

“There has been practically no contact. I feel like we’ve been discarded and disposed of, replaced by a whole new line-up of starters.”

Later in the week Karl’s family issued a statement.

“We are disappointed Cass would claim such inflammatory suggestions that we have alienated Karl’s children from our family. Nothing could be further from the truth,” a spokesperson for the Stefanovic family told TheFIX.

“Karl regularly co parents his children and has his loving family around them. We refuse to keep a running dialogue of the children,” the statement continued, adding there were custody and financial matters before the Family Court and that the Today host had been abiding by those.

“Family is often compromised when parents go through a painful divorce and we do our best to continue our love and support for the children.”

Last year Cassandra spoke about her struggles adjusting to life without Karl, as he moved on with shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough.

“I was completely gazumped when I realised Karl had gone,” she told Woman’s Day in October.

“I questioned and doubted myself about everything.”

“The children still have a father but I don’t have a husband,” she also told the publication. “He really is dead to me and no, we won’t ever be friends again.”

Karl, 44, left Cassandra in October of last year and months later, started a relationship with shoe designer, Jasmine Yarbrough.

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