Karl Stefanovic and Tony Jones roast each other during segment about the deadly coronavirus crisis

In what could only be described as a very awkward moment for Channel Nine, Karl Stefanovic and Nine News Melbourne presenter Tony Jones roasted each other about their time away from the Today show on Wednesday. 

The banter began when the pair started discussing the Coronavirus crisis.

The 45-year-old Today host told Tony, 58, that he had been ‘out in the pasture’ for a while, referring to his previous axing from the breakfast show.

‘Great to be here. Only seems like yesterday we were here. Full of hope and joy,’ Tony began, once he was introduced. 

Karl commented on the sports presenter’s sarcastic mood, remarking:  ‘It’s good to see you happy.’ 

‘I’m always happy. I am, I’ve had four months of happy school,’ Tony countered, after leaving Today in November. 

‘You’re always grumpy,’ Karl argued, but Tony immediately hit back, saying ‘Where have you been anyway?’ 

Laughing, Karl replied:  ‘You know know, out in the pasture.’ 

After a lighthearted chuckle, Karl brought them back to their topic, which he labelled a ‘real issue’. 

Tony was last on the Today show set in 2019, and was one of the many presenters on the show to leave before Karl’s return this year. 

Unlike some of the other former Today stars, Tony claimed he quit the show on his own accord. 

He had only joined the show in January 2019.