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TV producer pushes for Karl Stefanovic's return to Today show
Karl Stefanovic made his highly anticipated television comeback on Monday night, presenting the 2019 season of This Time Next Year.
With positive viewer feedback following his return to Channel Nine, there seems to be a bigger push for the network to put him back on breakfast program, Today.
Well, that’s certainly what former TV producer Rob McKnight thinks. The TV Blackbox founder, who has not only worked at Nine and Seven but created Channel Ten’s Studio 10, says Karl’s successful performance this week proves “the audience still like Karl”.
“From what I can tell, the audience still like Karl and if he did go back to the Today show - and there's nothing to suggest he will be going back - I still think it would be the comeback story of the year and audiences would embrace it,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
“Everyone knows I think Karl should be put back on the Today show, I've said it very loudly from day one,” McKnight added.
686k for This time next year, ahead of #AGT. @Channel9 and @karlstefanovic should be happy with that
— Robert McKnight (@rob_mcknight) August 12, 2019
Great to see @karlstefanovic back on TV #ThisTimeNextYear 👏👏👏 Can't wait to see Karl with a show where he can use his amazing humour too - eg. when the Today show was great - with someone quickwitted like @Lisa_Wilkinson #bestteamever
— 💧PruNouveau (@write_n_chat) August 12, 2019
@karlstefanovic The world just returned to normal. Karl’s back. #thistimenextyear Missed you.
— Jodie McGrath (@glenjode9) August 12, 2019
Channel 9 bring back karl to breakfast tv @Channel9 @TheTodayShow @karlstefanovic
— ash willo (@WilloAsh) August 12, 2019
Already hooked on @Channel9 #thistimenextyear by the first break @karlstefanovic you're we've missed you.
— Dan Hendry (@DanHenz38) August 12, 2019
Don’t mind me, just sitting here bawling, watching @TTNY with @karlstefanovic
Nothing to see here. #TTNY #thistimenextyear #ilovekarl pic.twitter.com/scCxWsKkAF— ᗷᗴᑕ (@BecPrestwidge) August 12, 2019
On Monday night, This Time Next Year managed to fair relatively well in the ratings considering tough competition from Channel Ten’s Have You Been Paying Attention, which unsurprisingly still trumped it. However, the show managed to beat Channel Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent, which McKnight described as “quite impressive”.
Last week after Karl visited the KIIS FM studios, where he cleared up some rumours about his career following his dumping from the Today at the end of last year.
“No one has asked me to go back to the Today show,” he told Kyle and Jackie O.
“I’ve been enjoying myself. I’ve been doing a bit of 60 Minutes and This Time Next Year and for me, it’s a great combination.”
When Karl got the boot from Today in late 2018, his sister-in-law Sylvia also left the show, while brother Peter was shown the door from the network altogether.
Peter has gone on to secure a breakfast gig on Sky News, while Sylvia announced on Monday that she’s landed her own new TV show, Nine News Watch with Sylvia Jeffreys.
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