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Today: Lisa Wilkinson was ‘shocked’ to learn of Karl Stefanovic’s marriage split

Today: Lisa Wilkinson was 'shocked' to learn of Karl Stefanovic's marriage split 2

Lisa Wilkinson reveals the ‘shocking’ way she learned her Today co-host Karl Stefanovic had split from his wife Cassandra Thorburn in 2016

  • Karl Stefanovic split from Cassandra Thorburn in 2016 after 21 years of marriage
  • He didn’t tell his Today co-host Lisa Wilkinson he’d moved out of the family home
  • Wilkinson instead heard the news from Thorburn, who told her via text message
  • She says in her book she ‘gasped’ when she discovered their marriage was over
  • Thorburn wanted her to know because she ‘didn’t want me mentioning anything on air about them that might make things uncomfortable’


Lisa Wilkinson has addressed her former Today co-host Karl Stefanovic’s split from his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn in her new book, It Wasn’t Meant to Be Like This.

In an excerpt from the autobiography, the 61-year-old admitted she was ‘shocked’ when Thorburn – a former producer on the Today show – sent her a text message informing her Stefanovic had moved out of the family home in 2016.

‘They had just bought a waterfront property a month or two before and he had just signed a massive deal with the network. I presumed everything was great,’ Wilkinson wrote.

Candid: Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) has admitted she was 'shocked' to learn her Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic had split from his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn in 2016

Candid: Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) has admitted she was ‘shocked’ to learn her Today show co-host Karl Stefanovic had split from his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn in 2016

Wilkinson said she ‘gasped’ when she received the text from Thorburn telling her the couple had separated after 21 years of marriage.

‘Cass wanted to let me know that Karl had moved out a few weeks before,’ she wrote.

‘She was worried he hadn’t yet told me and didn’t want me mentioning anything on air about them that might make things uncomfortable.’

Shock: In an excerpt from her new autobiography, the 61-year-old admitted she 'gasped' when Thorburn (right)  - a former producer on the Today show - sent her a text message informing her Stefanovic (left) had moved out of the family home in 2016. Pictured in April 2012

Shock: In an excerpt from her new autobiography, the 61-year-old admitted she ‘gasped’ when Thorburn (right)  – a former producer on the Today show – sent her a text message informing her Stefanovic (left) had moved out of the family home in 2016. Pictured in April 2012

Stefanovic and Thorburn, who share three children, Jackson, 20, Ava, 15, and River, 13, separated in 2016 and divorced a year later.

The former TV producer and mother of three is rumoured to have walked away with about $6million in assets and cash.

Stefanovic is now married to shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough, whom he wed in Mexico in December 2018, and the couple share a one-year-old daughter, Harper.

Warning: 'Cass wanted to let me know that Karl had moved out a few weeks before,' Wilkinson said. 'She was worried he hadn't yet told me and didn't want me mentioning anything on air about them that might make things uncomfortable'. Stefanovic and Thorburn seen here in 2011

Warning: ‘Cass wanted to let me know that Karl had moved out a few weeks before,’ Wilkinson said. ‘She was worried he hadn’t yet told me and didn’t want me mentioning anything on air about them that might make things uncomfortable’. Stefanovic and Thorburn seen here in 2011

Wilkinson’s book also includes a chapter dedicated to her sacking from Channel Nine and falling out with former co-anchor Stefanovic over a pay dispute.

She was sacked from the Today show in October 2017 after a reported gender pay gap dispute.

The Nine Network was reportedly ‘unable to meet her expectations’ after she demanded equal pay with Stefanovic.

In January the following year, Wilkinson joined Channel 10’s The Project for a rumoured multimillion-dollar pay packet.

Moving on: Stefanovic is now married to shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough (right), whom he wed in Mexico in December 2018, and the couple share a one-year-old daughter, Harper

Moving on: Stefanovic is now married to shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough (right), whom he wed in Mexico in December 2018, and the couple share a one-year-old daughter, Harper 

Book: Lisa's book also includes a chapter dedicated to her sacking from Channel Nine and eventual falling out with former co-star Karl over a pay dispute

Book: Lisa’s book also includes a chapter dedicated to her sacking from Channel Nine and eventual falling out with former co-star Karl over a pay dispute

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