Karl Stefanovic has thanked Tesla chief and X owner Elon Musk for this support after his axing from Nine’s Today show.
The TV star’s split from Nine was confirmed on Friday amid fallout over his controversial interview right-wing figure Tommy Robinson on his independent podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.
Taking to Musk’s own social media platform, Stefanovic thanked the billionaire for providing an arena for “free speech”.
“Free speech is important. Thanks (Elon Musk) for this platform,” Stefanovic wrote on X.
Earlier, Musk had shared a public response on X in response to a post from commentator Steven Mark Ryan about Stefanovic’s interview with Robinson.
“He started unplugging during the scamdemic,” Ryan wrote, referring to Stefanovic’s criticism of the vaccine rollout earlier this year.
Ryan described the backlash over the interview as “massive free publicity” and “instant proof he’s no longer playing by the old rules and has woken up”.
“A crystal clear signal to his audience that he’s all in on unfiltered conversations,” he said.
“Karl’s unplugging from The Matrix is almost complete. Bro took the red pill and I am here for it.”
In a one-word response, Musk replied: “wow”.
Billionaire businessman James Packer, who previously held a stake in Nine, has also weighed into Stefanovic’s interview.
Packer, a long-time friend of Stefanovic, told The Sydney Morning Herald that he did not think the episode was “that bad”.
He said that during his time at Nine and “certainly at the Nine newspapers, the old Fairfax newspapers” there had “always been editorial independence”.
“I think it is pretty hypocritical not to allow Karl editorial independence. Especially on something I didn’t think was that bad,” Packer said.
A video of the interview was deleted from Stefanovic’s channel within hours, but talk of his future at Nine grew immediately.
Stefanovic had previously hosted the Today show on Nine for more than two decades.
On Friday morning, the network confirmed it was “no longer possible” for Stefanovic to continue hosting the breakfast show “at the same time as his independent podcast”.
“While Karl and Nine had previously agreed he would leave Today at the end of this year, they have subsequently decided he will leave the Network immediately,” a spokesperson said.
In a video shared to his YouTube channel shortly after the announcement, Stefanovic said he was “free”.
“It wasn’t easy these last couple of days, but we roll on. So here’s what I believe in, the public deserve to hear perspectives,” he said.
“This country was built by hard-working Aussies from all around the world, and they were bound by the same values, but very different experiences.
“On my show I’ve spoken to people who have different perspectives, I know that winds some people up.
“Sometimes I agree with everything a guest says, sometimes I don’t. But importantly, you get to make up your mind. You have the right to hear from different voices.
“Freedom of speech, here and around the world, is what this show is about. You don’t have to listen to my show, you have the power. You are smart enough to make up your mind.”