The beloved ‘son of Australia’, Robert Irwin, has finally addressed rumours that he's in the running to be the next Karl Stefanovic on the Today show.

There's been much speculation about who will fill Stefanovic's R.M. Williams boots, and many have pinned Irwin, as he's fresh from his usual gig, I'm a Celebrity on Ten (which has recently been canned and is moving to Seven).

Irwin's certainly got the skill and charm - but is he interested in the role that would make him a breakfast fixture? A video from Yahoo News suggests not.

The clip says:  "While Robert may seem like an unlikely choice for the gig, Sportsbet rankings have seen Robert as typically ranking between fifth and 10th most likely" to replace the veteran host. 

According to Yahoo, an anonymous source told New Idea that Nine is desperate to secure Irwin and will "offer him whatever he wants." 

But when asked about the rumours on the Jase, Lauren and Clint radio show this week, Irwin laughed, “That's the first I've heard of it.”

READ MORE: The faces who could, and those that definitely won't, replace Karl Stefanovic

READ MORE:  Seven Network lands 'I'm A Celebrity' for 2027 return
 

The 22-year-old also joked, "It's my favourite thing, whenever I'm at the grocery store, I'll pick up one of the tabloid magazines just to see what I'm doing." 

Sadly for the Today show audience, Irwin is committed to Ninja Warriors on Ten for 2027.

But does that leave his mornings free...?

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has lost an appeal against a court finding that she racially discriminated against Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi by tweeting at her to "piss off back to Pakistan".

Hanson appealed the judgement from November 2024, which found she breached section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Three Federal Court judges stated on Monday that "none of the grounds of appeal have been established".

They confirmed the primary court ruling, and agreed Hanson's tweet targeted "immigrants, people of colour and Muslims".

READ MORE: Pauline Hanson in full 'teacher mode' at National Press Club

READ MORE: 'Stupid': Pauline Hanson snaps at delighted reporter
 

Pauline Hanson loses: court confirms tweet racially vilified Senator
 

Faruqi took Hanson to court over her Twitter, now X, post, which was made in September 2022 on the day Queen Elizabeth II died.

Her own initial post said she "cannot mourn the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonized people".

Hanson's tweet, posted as a reply read: "Your attitude appals and disgusts me. When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country.

"You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It's clear you're not happy, so pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan. — PH."

Justice Angus Stewart found that Hanson's response was "anti-Muslim or Islamophobic" and that her following would be encouraged to post similar sentiments.

After Monday's news of Hanson's appeal loss, Faruqi said the decision to dismiss the appeal was a win for immigrants who had settled in Australia.

"Today, justice has prevailed," she said outside court, the ABC reported.

"Today's win is for every single person out there who has been told to go back where they came from … who has been made to feel their belonging in this country is conditional.

“Here we have 434 paragraphs of dismissing Pauline Hanson's appeal, of confirming that indeed Pauline Hanson behaved in racism, Islamophobia and hate.”

"One Nation and Pauline Hanson's racism has harmed too many over the last three decades.

"Today's victory is especially important because it comes at a time when the far right is rising and fuelling more and more racism in this country.

“This case today is our fight back.”

Hanson responds to loss of appeal

In a social media post, Hanson responded to the judgement, promising she has a "view to commencing an appeal in the High Court of Australia".

"This has never been, nor ever should be, the Australian way," she stated.

"We all need to have the courage, and the freedom, to say what we think on issues that are important to us all.

“Some of those views may not be what certain people would like to hear, but that doesn’t mean that they are not valid views.”

"I was incensed by the incredible disrespect that I felt was shown to our late Queen on the day of her death by Senator Fahruqi and others. I simply wanted to call that out.

“For me, respect for our institutions of government; for our collective moral compass; and for the principles, including respect for our Head of State, which together have shaped this wonderful nation, are vital attributes which all Australians should embrace.”

Sara Gilson, a TikTok influencer who publicly accused her estranged husband of being a “paedophile” in a viral video, was allegedly fatally shot by him just days later in a suspected murder-suicide.

Gilson was murdered inside her Oklahoma home last week, after Jeremiah “Shawn” Duffey, a basketball coach, reportedly forced his way in.

It had been less than two weeks since Gilson used TikTok’s viral “Netflix documentary” trend to expose the claims. 

Until that time, the trend had been generally used for comical reasons, with users happily mocking their own personal issues.

In the clip, Gilson said:

“Preparing for when Netflix drops a documentary about my soon-to-be ex husband who I just found out is a pedophile,” she wrote over the clip of her pretending to sit down for a Netflix interview.

She added: “I wish I was joking.”

@heathermcdonald Sara Gilson posted the Netflix Documentary Trend and tragedy followed. #crime #dead #netflix #trend #divorce ♬ original sound - heathermcdonald

Sara Gilson fatally shot after ‘Netflix’ TikTok clip

The video attracted much attention online with more than six million views, and news of Gilson's death has shaken her followers.

Court documents filed claim that he had kissed and inappropriately touched a 15-year-old girl on the basketball team, and that another coach witnessed the incident.

@makaelysings I feel sick to by stomach 😩 #saraduffey #sayhername ♬ take a moment to breathe. - normal the kid

 The alleged victim's mother also claimed her daughter received texts from Duffey, was invited to his hotel room during an away game, then was offered money by him for her silence.

Police have confirmed a report had been made.

People reports that Gilson sought an emergency protection order against her estranged husband on June 10, claiming he had access to a gun, threatened to take his own life - but he subsequently disappeared for a short time.

A GoFundMe for Gilson’s two children. It says:

“Her sudden and heartbreaking loss has left an entire community grieving, but the greatest loss is felt by her two precious children, who must now face life without their loving mother."

In classic case of backlash to the backlash, Leigh Sales has had to shut down negative commentary about the appointment of Luca Lavigne as CEO of Mamamia.

Sales and Mamamia co-founder Mia Freedman have been friends for years. Lavigne is Freedman's eldest son.

When it was announced this week that Lavigne will be the media company's new CEO, the decision was widely scrutinised by the public and media insiders.

While many have observed that Mamamia - which is an advocate for women - should not be led by a man, accusations of nepotism have emerged as the basis for most of the complaints.

(As if the media industry in Australia is not founded on nepotism - such as the Packers and Murdochs.)

The Facebook page for popular podcast Chat 10 Looks 3, hosted by Sales and Annabel Crabb, became a place of outrage, as listeners vented their criticism.

With many of the comments bordering on nasty, Sales herself entered the chat (pun intended).

In response to one person questioning the hate, Sales wrote:

“I heartily agree – a million male-run family businesses end up with sons or daughters running them and it passes barely remarked.” 

The veteran journalist later added, "As Crabb and I are friends with Mia and have known Luca since he was a child, I’m going to not allow commenting on this.” 

But one person countered this: "I really respectfully want to be able to talk about how we can have a Facebook chat group whereby we are encouraged to post and have open conversations, but get shut down when moderators are friends with the subjects? 

"Isn’t that exactly the point of the original post? I’m really trying to understand this.” 

Sales double-downed.

“What some people are looking for is an excuse to pile onto Mia Freedman in an open forum and I’m not here for it," she responded. 

“Closing down comments here too.”

Luca Lavigne and Nat Harvey. Image: Mamamia

Mamamia appoints Luca Lavigne as CEO following Nat Harvey exit

Earlier this week, Mediaweek reported that Mamamia has appointed Lavigne as CEO, following outgoing chief executive Nat Harvey's decision to join Southern Cross Media Group (SCA) as its inaugural Chief Revenue Officer.

Harvey will remain with the business for several weeks before departing in early September to support the leadership transition.

Lavigne assumes the CEO position after serving as Mamamia's Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer for the past two years. He has worked across the business for more than a decade.

Over the past four years, Lavigne has led Mamamia's transition to a dual advertising and subscriber model, including expanding the business beyond media offerings. He has also overseen the growth of the company's podcast network and its shift to a video-first strategy.