Karl Stefanovic is taking a short break from TV. Is there really a problem with that?

Four months on from his last break, Today host Karl Stefanovic has taken a week of annual leave. And apparently, it’s not for the reasons that most of us take leave.

Announcing the break via a social media post on Sunday evening, Stefanovic’s fill-in Ben Fordham announced, “I said goodbye to The Today Show a few years ago but I’m returning this week to fill in for Karl Stefanovic who is taking a well earned rest.”

Cue, conspiracy theories.

“A rest from what?” one Facebook user commented on the post incredulously.

"Hasn't he just come back from extended Christmas break," another asked.

"Will be great to see you back. However I want Karl's job he seems to get a lot of time off for a well deserved rest," another wrote.

Is it really that doubtful that Stefanovic's week of leave is because he simply needs a rest?

Listen: Lisa Wilkinson tells Mia Freedman what it's like to work alongside Karl Stefanovic. Post continues... 

He's likely exhausted from extensively covering Cyclone Debbie in Queensland, before celebrating his younger brother's wedding.

People seem to be forgetting, too, that school holidays have started and he might want to spend some quality time with his three kids.

And who's to say he might not also want to hang out with his girlfriend over Easter?

But if you read most news reports this morning, which were rife with alarmist speculation, you wouldn't think that Stefanovic is on leave perhaps simply because he wants to sleep in past 3am for just one week.

Rather, it would appear Stefanovic is on leave because A CRISIS IS IMMINENT.

“The Today Show ratings are bad," reporter Peter Ford told the Kyle & Jackie O Show last week. "At the moment they’ve done private market research at Nine into Karl and it’s coming up that women have turned on him.”

It may seem like a coincidence that these "bad ratings" fall at the same time as school holidays, but rumours don't make room for coincidences.

So, think about it.

Because the reality is, there are so many reasons why a 42-year-old father-of-three working long hours would take a week of well-earned leave.