Karl and Alison's 'disturbing' Today show ad ridiculed online

Sarah Carty
·Lifestyle Editor
Updated ·2-min read

Fans have slammed Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon’s latest ad for the Today show, after it was played during an ad break for the first episode of Married At First Sight.

The bizarre advert shows 45-year-old Karl locked in a jail cell with Allison standing on the outside, just like the scene from Silence of the Lambs where Clarice meets Hannibal for the first time.

Karl Stefanovic in an advert for the Today show
Fans were left shocked by Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon's latest advert for Today show. Photo: Channel Nine

Foreboding music plays in the background as the camera spans towards Karl dressed in a suit standing behind bars.

“Good Morning Karl, so it’s you and me. You’d better get used to those early mornings again,” Ali says, to which Karl responds saying: “I’ve missed the smell of morning coffee.”

“Apparently, I’ve been a very naughty boy,” Karl says, with Allison looking at him and saying:

“This time Karl, things are going to be different.”

Allison then says “things are going to be different” this year, claiming Nine bosses gave Karl’s dressing room to her.

Karl Stefanovic in a Hannibal mask while Allison Langdon wheels him
It's just like the scene from Silence of the Lambs where Clarice meets Hannibal for the first time. Photo: Channel Nine

“Everyone’s watching Karl”, Allison says, then holding up a Hannibal Lector mask and asking her co-host: “Are you going to behave?’.

“Well you’re just going to have to trust me,” Karl says, looking straight at the camera.

Married At First Sight fans were left baffled by the ad, with many taking to Twitter to rant about it.

“What the hell was the ad for the Today show all about? Oh my God,” one person wrote.

“God seeing Karl Stefanovic pretending to be Hannibal Lecter is rather disturbing,” another said.

The comments kept coming in, with people calling it the “most bizarre thing ever” and another saying seeing Karl as Hannibal Lecter “is jus sad”.

“This terrible ad for Today with Karl Stefanovic as Hannibal Lecter No No No No No and even more No Won't be watching,” a fan said.

Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough attend the Witchery x OCRF White Shirt Campaign Launch on April 4, 2018 in Sydney, Australia.
Karl's wife, Jasmine Yarbrough, is expecting the couple's first child together. Photo: Getty Images

Karl and Allison take over the Today show

The ad comes just over a month since Karl Stefanovic and Allison Langdon took over at the Today show couch, after former hosts, Georgie Gardener and Deborah Knight were given the boot.

Karl was axed from the Today show at the end of 2018, while he was on honeymoon with his wife, Jasmine Yarbrough.

Jasmine is now pregnant with the couple’s first child together.

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