Former Today host Karl Stefanovic has fought back tears while discussing his departure from Nine during his first interview since the news broke.

Stefanovic, 51, parted ways with the network last week after hosting controversial British far-right figure Tommy Robinson on his podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.

In an episode of the podcast released on Wednesday, Stefanovic sat down with the English broadcaster and opened up about the moment he learned his time at Nine had ended on a flight from London to Cannes only hours prior.

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Morgan shared his own experience of being forced out of hosting morning show Good Morning Britain after accusing Meghan Markle of lying during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, which included allegations of racism within the royal family and suicidal thoughts.

Stefanovic said his sit-down interview with Morgan had been arranged before he was let go by Nine, with Morgan calling Stefanovic’s termination “ridiculous” as he is an “integral part of Australian popular culture”.

“It’s your right to have anyone you want on your podcast and to ask questions ... I just don’t understand what Channel Nine are thinking,” Morgan said.

“What happened to you is very reminiscent to what happened to me.”

Stefanovic appeared distressed when Morgan asked if he’d felt emotional since getting the news.

“Just when I was thinking about my ... just my wife,” Stefanovic said, pausing mid-sentence and fighting back tears.

“She puts up with a lot. Her finding out this stuff and having to deal with me, because I’m a lot ... to hear her upset was the hardest thing.”

Stefanovic said he felt “discombobulated” upon receiving the news he wouldn’t be returning to Nine, and was concerned for his family.

“For me, my first thoughts go to my family,” he said.

“Jasmine was really upset at first.”

He said as a result of the news his wife had “copped heat” on social media.

“That’s hard,” he said.

Stefanovic also lamented not being able to say goodbye to his Today audience.

“I have had an intimate audience for 21 years ... but I don’t get to say goodbye to them in a public way. So for me not to have that dialogue, that’s upsetting to me. It’s painful,” he said.

The former host confirmed his contract with Channel Nine would have been up at the end of 2026.

“I told Nine I was leaving the Today show two or three months ago,” he said.

Stefanovic defended his ill-fated decision to interview Robinson and support for freedom of speech, saying now that he had parted ways with Nine he could do “whatever I want”.

“I love Australia. I work really f****** hard, and to have it end like that is ... I’m not going to stop and roll up in a ball on the side of the f****** highway,” he said.

Wednesday’s interview release coincided with radio network Gold FM following Nine and removing Stefanovic from its books.

The news comes just three weeks after the launch of The Long Weekend, a Friday afternoon chat show anchored by Stefanovic and Eddie McGuire.

McGuire hosted the show solo and addressed the scandal on Friday, reading a statement from Gold owner Australian Radio Network (ARN), which distanced itself from Stefanovic’s podcast series.