Karl Stefanovic buys out podcast partner Keshnee Kemp after court settlement
The issue was before the courts.
NEED TO KNOW
- Karl Stefanovic left Today to focus on his controversial digital podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.
- Keshnee Kemp was the media executive behind his new venture.
- Keshnee has long-standing ties to both Karl and his wife, Jasmine, including past media deals involving the couple.
- However, the pair went into a legal battle over their podcast. as of October 9, 2026, they have agreed to settle their dispute, with Karl buying her out.
Karl Stefanovic has bought out his podcast partner, Keshnee Kemp Ibrahim, settling their business dispute.
The axed Today host and businesswoman agreed on October 9 to “settle the litigation and dispute between them”, according to a spokesperson.
“While the terms of this settlement are confidential, the arrangement results in Mr Stefanovic acquiring the interests of Ms Ibrahim in the company and Ms Ibrahim exiting the company as a shareholder and director,” the statement revealed.
“Ms Ibrahim has also agreed to discontinue the litigation she commenced against Mr Stefanovic.”
According to News.com.au, Ibrahim invested almost $125,000 of her own funds into the podcast before its collapse. While the sum is undisclosed, industry sources suggest Stefanovic’s payout could reach seven figures.
Media executive Ibrahim quietly shaped the former TV star’s strategy behind the scenes for years and has known Karl and his wife, Jasmine Stefanovic, for a long time.
A source for Ibrahim, who is holidaying in Italy, allegedly told News.com.au that the matter has been resolved. The source also added that the court proceedings would be discontinued.
The dispute headed to the NSW Supreme Court on October 6, in relation to 123 Podcast Pty Ltd, the company they established at the start of 2026 to produce The Karl Stefanovic Show.
Stefanovic and Ibrahim both had 45 per cent stakes in the company, while his accountant Anthony Bell owned the remaining 10 per cent via his Bell Capital venture.
Corporate records show that Ibrahim, who is the founder of Digital Marketing Agency August One and her husband, Jason Ibrahim, owned the stake via his own company, August 1 Pty Ltd.
News.com.au previously revealed that the Logie winner claimed his affiliation with the businesswoman played a role in Nine terminating his contract over his interview with controversial right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, despite Stefanovic being eager to interview him.
In the lead-up to the agreement reached on October 9, source alleges he gave Ibrahim one day to buy him out and reportedly objected to her suggestion to obtain a business valuer.
The pair were initially in court because the businesswoman was forced to seek an urgent injunction seeking to prevent him from pushing her out of the business at a planned board meeting.
At the time, the court documented that the former host was “unfairly discriminatory” after his relationship broke down with his business partner, before Ibrahim ordered a valuer to be appointed. Stefanovic has denied these claims.
The hearing was scheduled to take place on October 13 and 14, 2026, but will no longer go ahead.
Who is Keshnee Kemp?
An industry insider previously told New Idea that she had “massive plans” for Karl and his career, revealing, “If you think a hit podcast is the end game, I assure you, we’ve seen nothing yet.
“There’s word that Keshnee is cooking up massive plans for Karl later this year, including a huge live tour around the country,” they told us before the podcast fell apart.
The insider also hinted that Keshnee was eyeing off more big-name TV talent to join her books.
She previously launched a farm-focused podcast with Edwina Bartholomew during her time working at Woolworths Group.
“Keshnee has already successfully poached TV’s biggest name in Karl,” the source continues.
“She’ll be going after more, that’s for sure. She is very good at making connections. With Karl now unshackled from Nine, she’ll be eager to build her empire.”
How does Keshnee Kemp know Jasmine Stefanovic?
To understand Keshnee’s role in the Stefanovic brand, one must look to the other woman by Karl’s side – his wife of seven years, Jasmine.
Long before she produced Karl’s latest project, Keshnee was a major supporter of Jasmine’s career. The pair grew up together in Queensland and navigate the exact same social circles.
In 2017, Keshnee was at the helm of Cosmopolitan Australia magazine. According to publishing industry insiders, she made sure Jasmine’s shoe brand, Mara & Mine, was front and center in the magazine’s fashion pages.
But Keshnee’s most significant media move came when she took over as Editor of our sister publication, Who magazine.
There, she negotiated a major exclusive – Karl and Jasmine’s lavish Mexican wedding.
Attending the 2018 nuptials as a guest, she wrote the cover story from Los Cabos, penning, “I’ve known Jasmine and her family my entire life; we grew up together in Queensland.”
One media insider told New Idea that Keshnee was thought to have “helped orchestrate that spectacular Mexican wedding location as part of a very savvy deal.”
It was perhaps Keshnee’s first major foray into high-stakes media wheeling and dealing, considering she managed to get Nine’s biggest talent to sign a cover deal with Who magazine, which at the time was owned by rival network Channel Seven.
