Channel Nine finally acknowledges Michael Clarke’s feud with Jade Yarbrough

Karl Stefanovic was involved in a fight with Michael Clarke and his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough earlier this month, and Channel Nine flatly refused to report on it.

But the network finally broke its silence over the weekend to provide an update on the police investigation into the matter, but made sure the Today host’s involvement was not mentioned.

In the Nine’s Sydney newsletter on Saturday night, Lizzie Pearl reported that Clarke, 41, and Yarbrough, 30, had received tickets for “public nuisance”.

However, he made no reference to the fact that Stefanovic intervened in the fight.

“Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke and his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough were fined by police over a public scandal in Queensland earlier this month,” the newscaster said.

‘Captured on camera in a park near the Noosa River, the couple is seen arguing. Police say they have now completed their investigation.

According to the aussie on Monday, Nine’s newspapers reported on the incident due to its newsworthiness, but otherwise avoided drawing further attention to Stefanovic, who is arguably the network’s biggest star.

On Nine Entertainment radio stations, 3AW breakfast host Neil Mitchell didn’t shy away from the subject, staunchly defending Stefanovic last week while criticizing Clarke’s behaviour.

He said that the former test captain was “behaving like a bogan bozo” before sympathizing with “poor old Karl” and clearing him of blame.

He’s a magnet for trouble, Karl. This wasn’t his fault, he witnessed all of this, but he’s a magnet for trouble, he just goes along with it. Poor Karl…it’s ugly,’ he said.

Meanwhile, a source said Women’s Day Stefanovic ‘begged’ Nine’s top brass not to broadcast the explosive images or post his name online.

“He’s actually relieved that he didn’t come out as the bad guy in all of this,” a source added.

Meanwhile, Clarke made an awkward return to the airwaves on Monday when he hosted his first Sky Sports Radio show of the year, less than a week after footage of his fight with Yarbrough went viral.

Early in the show, the Big Sports Breakfast hosts briefly mentioned the Noosa incident, but only to say they would not discuss it.

Clarke’s co-host Gerard Middleton said: “Now, of course, [there is] huge fascination in Clarkey’s life and we’re hitting this on the head right away.’

“It’s a private matter that Clarkey has obviously been dealing with, a very, very private matter, which has unfortunately been made public,” he continued.

“There are a lot of factors at play here and Clarkey made his statement last week and because of all the factors at play we are moving forward on The Big Sports Breakfast this morning.”

Extraordinary footage emerged last Wednesday of a heated exchange between Clarke and his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough while on holiday in Noosa.

In the video, which was filmed by a bystander on January 10 and later sold to The Daily Telegraph for $10,000, Yarbrough accused Clarke of cheating on her with her ex, fashion designer Pip Edwards, on December 17.

Others in the group, including Today host Stefanovic, his wife Jasmine, Yarbrough’s sister, and famed accountant Anthony Bell, tried to defuse the fight.

Yarbrough and Clarke, who was limping in the footage after injuring his hamstring, have been issued fines for “public nuisance”.

A remorseful Clarke has since taken full responsibility for what happened.

I am absolutely heartbroken, I have put people I hold in the highest regard in this position. My actions in the lead up to this altercation were nothing short of shameful and regrettable,” he said.

“I am devastated that by my actions I have brought women of class and integrity, and my peers, into this situation.”

Edwards also issued a statement the night the images were released.

‘This is not my circus. Once again, Michael in the true nature of him has not taken responsibility for his actions and I was blatantly lied to,” he told Daily Mail Australia.