Today's Georgie Gardner & Karl Stefanovic 'separated after Ubergate'
The Today show's Georgie Gardner has been sent to cover the bushfires on the NSW south coast to avoid any more tense discussions with co-host Karl Stefanovic, reports The Daily Telegraph.
Georgie, 46, was noticeably absent from the breakfast show's panel on Tuesday as she was reporting from Tathra, with Deborah Knight filling in as co-anchor.
She had been spotted boarding a private jet out of Sydney on Monday, just hours after branding Karl, 43, 'pathetic' live on-air following the Ubergate scandal.
Tense: Today's Georgie Gardner has reportedly been sent to cover the bushfires on the NSW south coast to avoid any more tense discussions with co-host Karl Stefanovic after Ubergate
The Telegraph claimed that Channel Nine remains in 'damage control' after Georgie appeared to vent her frustrations against Karl in a thinly-veiled rebuke on Monday.
Georgie had called him 'pathetic' during a light-hearted segment about dachshunds, but it was clear to viewers that she wasn't simply referring to Karl's 'fear' of the short-legged dogs.
Her comments were made shortly after New Idea hit newsstands with a front-page exposé of Karl and Peter Stefanovic's 'b**chy' leaked phone conversation.
'Pathetic': The Daily Telegraph claimed that Channel Nine remains in 'damage control' after Georgie appeared to vent her frustrations against Karl in a thinly-veiled rebuke on Monday
The brothers had discussed several of their Channel Nine colleagues, including Georgie, after an 'intoxicated' Peter called Karl on speakerphone during a recent Uber ride.
The Uber driver apparently 'overheard' the discussion and later sold details of what was said to New Idea in a reported $50,000 deal. (He denied secretly recording the conversation).
Karl had allegedly said that Georgie 'didn't have enough opinions' and that she needed to 'step up... if she wanted to stay on the show'.
Drama: Georgie's comments were made shortly after New Idea hit newsstands on Monday with a front-page exposé of Karl and his brother Peter's (right) 'b**chy' leaked phone conversation
Venting: An Uber driver had allegedly overheard Karl complaining that Georgie 'didn't have enough opinions' and that she needed to 'step up... if she wanted to stay on the show'
Even radio hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson pointed out that Karl and Georgie appeared to have been separated by Nine management on Tuesday.
'We might know why they didn't go (to Tathra) together!' Jackie remarked during an interview with Samantha Armytage, who was reporting on the bushfires for Sunrise.
On Tuesday, a Channel Nine spokesperson denied The Telegraph's claim Georgie was 'sent to cover the fires today to avoid more discussion on air.'
They said: 'Georgie is doing her job and sharing the stories of these devastated communities.'