Karl Stefanovic has taken a day off hosting duties on the Today show following reports he has separated from his wife of 21 years, Cassandra Thorburn.

Stefanovic’s co-host Lisa Wilkinson made a brief reference to his absence on Tuesday morning’s show, claiming he was working on “a 60 Minutes tidy-up”.

“He had a couple of loose ends on a story he’s finishing, so he’ll be back in the chair tomorrow,” Wilkinson said.

Today newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys filled in for Stefanovic, who has been hosting the show since 2005.

Stefanovic’s absence follows a Daily Telegraph report that he has moved out of the home he shares with Thorburn and their three children and is staying at friend James Packer’s Bondi apartment.

Stefanovic, 42, and Thorburn, 44, met in the 1990s while she was working at the ABC and he was working with WIN Television.

When Stefanovic won a Logie for Best Presenter in 2011, he thanked Thorburn, claiming was was “a great influence on my life and has also got the best arse I have ever seen”.

Friends of the couple – who are reportedly trying to work on their marriage – are said to be stunned by their split.

Stefanovic is yet to address the rumours and appeared on the Today show on Monday morning as normal.

A Nine spokeswoman confirmed Stefanovic had a scheduled day off due to “60 Minutes” filming commitments and would be back on Wednesday.