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Karl Stefanovic's dad claims he was going to split from Cass in 'early 2000s'.

Karl Stefanovic’s dad has claimed his son and wife Cassandra Thorburn almost split more than a decade before they announced their separation last year.

Alex Stefanovic, who admitted he doesn’t have a great relationship with the Today host, told New Idea that his son had come to him with marital problems ‘in the early 2000s’.

“From what I know, it was a strained marriage and had been for a long time,” the 70-year-old told the magazine.

Listen: When your ex is with a new partner it’s hard enough. But to see it splashed all over the papers is a particular kind of cruelty. Post continues…  

“Karl came to see me in the early 2000s and said, ‘Marriage is too hard, it’s all over.’ He was going to move in with me, but he returned and they reconciled.”

News of Karl and Cassandra’s separation after 21 years of marriage emerged in September, with the pair each confirming the news weeks later. The couple have three children together: Jackson, 17, Ava, 12, and River, 10.

The 42-year-old is now dating shoe designer Jasmine Yarbrough.

Alex added that he “had nothing to do with” his sons Karl and Peter Stefanovic anymore, despite attending Pete’s wedding to Sylvia Jeffreys in early April.

“We’re done. I won’t see Karl or his brother Peter again in this life, maybe the next. I have nothing to do with either of them,” he told New Idea.

He pinned the strained relationship on his divorce from their mother, Jenny Stefanovic.