Karl Stefanovic has revealed that he now regrets urging Aussies to get the Covid jab during the pandemic.

The Today Show co-cost made the admission during a wide-ranging interview with former Liberal senator and outspoken vaccine critic Gerard Rennick on his latest YouTube podcast released on Sunday.

At the height of the pandemic in 2021, Stefanovic fronted Channel Nine’s ‘This is Our Shot’ Covid vaccination television campaign alongside a host of network celebrities such as Scott Cam, Hamish Blake, Shaynna Blaze, Eddie McGuire, Liz Hayes and Richard Wilkins.

He and then Today show co-host Ally Langdon were quick to book an appointment when Pfizer bookings became available for their age-group and had their first jab filmed for the cameras.

‘This is my shot,’ Stefanovic spruiked in the ad.

The campaign sparked outrage from viewers who pointed out that most celebrities in the ad were Caucasian, while others said a global pandemic wasn’t a time for an identity political debate.

Almost five years on, backlash from viewers has prompted Stefanovic to have a change of heart about his involvement.

Karl Stefanovic has apologised for his involvement for pushing vaccine mandates

The Channel Nine star now regrets not questioning the Covid vaccine mandates

He has apologised for supporting the jab and not questioning the strict government mandates that plunged millions of Aussies into lockdown, which lasted months.

Many Aussies also lost their jobs over their decision to not roll up their sleeves.

‘Can we talk about Covid for a little bit? Because it’s often mentioned in the comments,’ Stefanovic told Rennick.

‘Like I said, I read them all, because I’m genuinely interested in how people view things.

‘The one thing they say about me is that I supported the Covid jab, and I have regrets from that time.

‘I am definitely sorry for the role I played in not questioning the science, in not questioning more the government mandates, and I feel like I isolated people because of that, and I don’t think the media should be involved in that kind of messaging.

‘What I do believe is that we should have been there to offer some sort of education, but we shouldn’t have taken that step further and been part of a campaign.

‘And I’m legitimately sorry for that, because I don’t know how that would have felt for people out there.’

In 2021, Stefanovic fronted Channel Nine’s ‘This is Our Shot’ Covid vaccination television campaign

Rennick said that Stefanovic was not solely to blame and should have been given proper advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

‘There is two aspects to this. There was 2020 when Covid was out there in the community and we didn’t know what the impact of that was going to be. I always thought the premiers played up the risk,’ Rennick said.

‘Having said that, the risk was real … definitely towards older people. The big mistake they made was they locked down healthy people of working-age population. You don’t protect the weak by destroying the strong.’

Stefanovic later conceded that the correct messaging about the vaccines ‘wasn’t there.’

‘Or maybe it was and we weren’t doing our job,’ he told Rennick.

‘It’s so important during a crisis like that to get messaging right.

‘You’ve articulated it now. So what would you have done differently? You continue the vaccines, or should we have asked far more questions of big pharma?’

Stefanovic also regretted his involvement in spruiking the vaccine mandates, which forced many Aussies to lose their jobs if they didn’t get the jab.

‘The mandating of this vaccine … I think now on reflection is inherently wrong,’ he said.

Gerard Rennick was one of several Coalition rebels who were opposed to the vaccine mandates

The Block’s Scott Cam is featured in the Covid-19 promotion getting the vaccine

‘We all signed waivers, right? And this mandate was, you have to do it, you have to do this to go to work. It’s part of almost being Australian now – you must get the vaccine. And like I said before, I was part of that messaging.’

Rennick served as a Liberal senator from 2019 until he quit the party in 2024 to serve as an independent and form the People’s First Party.

He was one of several Coalition rebels against the vaccine mandates in late 2021, crossed the floor in favour of a bill banning the mandates.

Rennick pointed the blame at then-health minister Greg Hunt rather than then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

‘He should have picked that phone up to the TGA when I told him what was going on and said, ‘I’ve got a backbench Senator here who is getting inundated with young people by that vaccine. What’s going on?’ he claimed.

‘And he never did it. He dismissed my concerns. And if you’re listening to this, Greg, I’m never going to forgive you for it.’

Stefanovic’s shock admission on his podcast divided viewers.

‘You should be ashamed of yourself Karl, everyone I knew realised it was utter BS,’ one commented.

Former Nationals senator George Christensen added:  ‘I recall Karl Stefanovic having a crack at me when I said kids shouldn’t be getting the Covid jab. Welcome to the club, Karl.’

However others commended Stefanovic for admitting that he was wrong.

‘The true mark of a man is his ability to own his mistakes and learn from them,’ one commented.