Peter Stefanovic has been seen for the first time after apologizing for ruining a teenage fishing champion’s big moment in a disaster TV interview, and said he regrets it amid a public backlash.
The Sky News presenter appeared helpless and lost in his own thoughts as he sat in the front passenger seat of his family car while his wife, Channel Nine presenter Sylvia Jeffreys, drove on Sunday afternoon.
Stefanovic, wearing glasses and dressed casually in a hoodie, could be seen squinting in the rain as he emerged from hiding for the first time since humiliating teenager Keegan Payne on live television.
Wearing a hoodie and baseball cap, his TV host wife looked just as somber behind the wheel.
The couple took a short drive with their two children before returning home.
Payne, 19, made headlines across Australia last weekend after catching a million-dollar barramundi in Katherine, 317 kilometers south of Darwin.
Their prize catch was part of the Million Dollar Fish fishing contest aimed at boosting tourism in the Northern Territory.
Peter Stefanovic looked helpless and lost in his own thoughts as he sat in the passenger seat of his family car while his wife, Channel Nine presenter Sylvia Jeffreys, drove on Sunday afternoon (pictured).
Stefanovic was forced to apologize after humiliating teenager Keegan Payne (pictured) on live television after he mentioned a youthful indiscretion while interviewing him about his victory in a million-dollar fishing competition.
However, their celebrations were cut short during a tough interview with Stefanovic on Wednesday morning.
The breakfast host asked directly if there was any truth to the rumors that Keegan and a friend had once stolen an ATV and quad bike from his former employer, Bob Cavanagh.
In a shocking admission, Keegan said the allegation was true and offered a sincere apology to his former boss in the excruciating exchange.
The segment sparked enormous outrage among viewers who demanded Stefanovic’s resignation for trying to turn a feel-good story into a scandal.
Stefanovic deleted all of his social media accounts in the wake of the furor.
His Wikipedia page has also been repeatedly “vandalized” to falsely claim that he had been removed from his role as co-host of the Sky News program, first edition.
A petition, calling on Stefanovic and Sky News to publicly apologize and criticizing them for their alleged “unethical media tactics”, attracted more than 10,000 signatures.
On Friday afternoon, Sky News was forced to issue a humiliating apology, with the broadcaster revealing that Stefanovic had personally apologized to Mr Payne and his family.
This was backed up by a personal apology from Mr Stefanovic on Monday morning.
“An apology from me, last Wednesday we invited Keegan Payne on our show to discuss his victory in the Million Dollar Fish competition in the Northern Territory,” Stefanovic said during the first edition on Monday.
‘During that interview I asked him about a robbery that had occurred several years earlier. I shouldn’t have asked you about those claims and I’m sorry I did.
“I sincerely apologize to Keegan and his family.”
Payne’s former boss told Daily Mail Australia he was glad Stefanovic had apologised.
“He’s a good kid who made a mistake,” Cavanagh said.
“They stole what should have been a moment of celebration. I’m glad that he [Stefanovic] “I apologized to Keegan, he deserved that apology.”
Stefanovic, who was wearing glasses and dressed casually in a hoodie, could be seen squinting in the rain as he emerged from hiding for the first time since the excruciating interview.
The Sky News presenter deleted all his social media accounts in the wake of the furore.
The Sky News presenter even saw his Wikipedia page “vandalized” repeatedly to falsely claim he had been removed from his role as co-presenter of the Sky News show, first edition.
Peter Stefanovic (pictured Sunday) personally apologized to Payne and his family.
Cavanagh, who has since left the Northern Territory for Queensland, said like Keegan, Stefanovic had probably learned a valuable lesson.
“We all make mistakes and I bet he regrets it,” she said.
‘The fact that he [Stefanovic] ‘He’s come out and apologized to Keegan and his family, I think he’s realized he’s gone too far.’
In the days after his million-dollar win last week, Keegan approached his former boss and offered to pay him back for the stolen vehicles.
‘Unexpectedly [one] In the morning his father called me and said, ‘Keegan wants to pay you,’ and you could have knocked me down with a feather,” Mr Cavanagh said.
“He said Keegan had always felt very bad about what he did.”
Social media users were furious with Stefanovic after the interview aired.
‘The journalist hears good news. He goes out of his way to dig up dirt and be negative,” one wrote.
‘He made a mistake, suffered the consequences, and was forgiven long before this victory!’ said another.
“Shitty reporting as always,” another commented.
On Friday, Sky News issued a humiliating apology, with the broadcaster revealing that Stefanovic had personally apologized to Mr Payne (pictured) and his family.
One Australian asked why people couldn’t just “be happy for this kid.”
‘No one is perfect, but shaming them on TV? Talk about ripping the rug out from under him! ‘Stop kicking people when he advances!’ they added.
‘It shows the mentality of morons who like to ruin other people’s happiness!’
Lawyer Jahan Kalantar, who regularly discusses legal issues on TikTok, said Stefanovic had conducted a “derailed interview” and called him a “smarmy news anchor” for asking Keegan about something he did when he was a minor.
“Can you imagine any other community where you would bring up something that a child has done, which, by the way, is illegal?” Kalantar said in a video.
Yvonne Weldon, an Indigenous Sydney city councillor, said she was shocked by the interview.
“They invited him to talk about his prize catch and then proceeded to put him on the stand for a misdemeanor as a teenager,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post.
‘In doing so, they have shown no respect for his well-being and his right to privacy.
“Furthermore, they have perpetuated a harmful and negative stereotype about Aboriginal youth.”
Daily Mail Australia approached Mr Payne and his father for comment on Sunday night.