Karl Stefanovic’s Tommy Robinson podcast deleted after release as Pauline Hanson republishes interview

Karl Stefanovic’s now-deleted podcast interview with a British far-right activist has landed the host in hot water with employer Nine, which says it is taking the matter seriously.

The host of Nine Network’s flagship breakfast show, Today, interviewed controversial anti-Islam figure Tommy Robinson for his podcast, saying he admired Robinson’s “tenacity” and “courage”.

The almost-hour-long episode on the Karl Stefanovic Show, which is run independently of Nine, was published on Tuesday evening but was pulled down by the following morning.

However, the episode has since been resurrected on YouTube by Pauline Hanson, who Robinson praises several times during the interview.

In its strongest statement about Stefanovic’s contentious foray into podcasting, Nine said on Wednesday morning it is taking his most recent episode “seriously”.

“The Karl Stefanovic Show is a completely independent production,” a Nine spokesperson said.

“Nine has no involvement, including in the guest selection and other editorial processes.

“However, Nine is taking this matter seriously.”

Stefanovic’s $3 million contract stipulates he should not bring Channel 9 into disrepute, reports say.

Stefanovic described Robinson as one of Britain’s “most controversial public figures” in a segment at the beginning of the podcast.

“I really do admire your tenacity and the courage that you’re showing in trying to stand up for what you believe is right,” he said during the interview.

Why the episode was taken down or who made the call is not yet known, though it has been removed from Stefanovic’s YouTube channel, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

The One Nation leader posted the video on her YouTube channel on Wednesday morning, claiming Nine was “trying to sack my good friend Karl Stefanovic”.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, is a prominent far-right activist and founder of the anti-Islam English Defence League movement.

He has been banned from several social media platforms for violating rules on hateful conduct and hate speech and has multiple criminal convictions.

How seriously the network will take the issue remains to be seen, but News Corp claim an “exit plan” is being considered.

During the roving discussion, Robinson and Stefanovic touched on populist, far-right politics in the UK, the US and abroad.

“I love her, Pauline,” Robinson said of the resurgent One Nation leader, the first guest to be featured in the inaugural episode of Stefanovic’s podcast.

“She’s been through what I’ve been through: she’s been condemned, attacked, battered, every name under the sun.

“And here she is, she’s carried on against all of that backlash.”

A promotional clip and an interview snippet remain active on Stefanovic’s X account, while Senator Hanson republished video under the title: “CANCELLED: The Full Karl Stefanovic and Tommy Robinson Interview”.

“It looks like they’re trying to sack my good friend Karl Stefanovic for this video with Tommy Robinson,” Senator Hanson wrote.

“Deb Knight was a huge flop for Channel 9 and while she was busy grilling me over One Nation’s polling Channel 9’s ratings were in the toilet.

“In 2019 on live TV with her, I called on Channel 9 to bring back Karl. Now with six months to go on his contract the weak management of Channel 9 want to sack Karl over this interview.”

Stefanovic was sacked from Today in 2019 after comments he made about colleagues while riding in an Uber went public. He was reinstated as host of Today in 2020.

In one clip, Robinson speaks to the costs of speaking out about immigration and Islam, touting his own experience being deplatformed from social media.

Stefanovic opened the interview by saying: “I’m surprised you’re not dead yet”.

The pair are seen walking side by side, Robinson wearing a “unite the kingdom” T-shirt, the name given to a series of large-scale anti-immigration rallies in London.

Prompted to finish Robinson’s sentence, Stefanovic describes Keir Starmer, the outgoing UK Labour prime minister, as a “wanker”.

“We speak to Tommy Robinson. The guy you’ve all been asking for,” the caption reads.

“The ultimate disruptor. Many say, a voice for the people.”

Over the years Robinson has accumulated multiple criminal convictions, including for assault, fraud and contempt of court. He was also briefly a member of the British National Party in the early 2000s and has been associated with protests that attracted allegations of extremist behaviour.

The backlash was swift.

“Are you going to have Thomas Sewell on next? How far into the sewer are you willing to go,” one social media user wrote.

“Wow, you’ve really hit an all-time low. I can’t believe I used to respect you,” another said. “No one has been asking for this,” a third added.

Online activist group Mad F..king Witches warned the Nine network it was considered a major protest campaign.

“We’re considering running a new campaign protesting that one of @Channel9’s main ‘stars’ is now interviewing violent fascists on his podcast,” the group warned on X.

“We’d need support and assistance to run this campaign, but are up for it if we can get enough enthusiasm.”

Stefanovic has been contacted for comment.