Forget the sleek modern design and stunning harbourside location, what you are looking at is Karl Stefanovic's $8 million headache.
This is the luxury waterfront Cremorne home PS first revealed Stefanovic and his estranged wife of 21 years, Cassandra Thorburn, had been building and planning to "upgrade" to before their shock split two months ago.
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Private Sydney: Is Rove the next Rove?
Its been some time since Australia has had a top rating late night chat show, and now the race is on to recreate the format for a new generation. Will Rove come back? If not, who could succeed? Andrew Hornery investigates.
The former couple are yet to settle on the property, though they are believed to have already spent about $800,000 on a deposit for the no-expense-spared property, which is still some way off completion. They are also up for more than $500,000 in stamp duty taxes on the purchase.
However the one-time "dream-home" now how has the potential to become the biggest nightmare for Australian television's highest paid personality, with claims it could go to Thorburn as part of any property settlement the pair may reach, lest they walk away from an $800,000 loss on their non-refundable deposit.
Settlement on the sale is due in the first quarter of 2017, by which time the modernist, stark white three level-home with four bedrooms, open-plan living spaces, swimming pool, steam room and wine cellar sprawling out over an impressive 650sq m is due to be completed.
Today show presenter Karl Stefanovic with his wife Cassandra in happier times. Photo: Penny Stephens
Thorburn has remained living in the couple's old matrimonial home in Lindfield, which they had already been planning to sell, though the property was put onto the market with a price tag of up to $4 million as news of their separation reverberated.
Stefanovic has been splitting his time between living at his brother and Channel Nine cameraman Tom Stefanovic's Sydney home and the luxury Bondi Beach lair belonging to his good friend, casino billionaire James Packer.
However, with the paparazzi on Stefanovic's tail as rumours and reports circulate about where and with whom the $3 million-a-year personality is spending his time, the Today co-host has spent the past week living in a luxury villa - with private entry and exit - at Melbourne's Crown casino, where he crashed a ladies' lunch on Wednesday. Crown is owned by Stefanovic's buddy Packer, who has also reportedly loaned him use of his private helicopter.
Turnbull's 'Mediscare' rant cruels Christmas spirit
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull apparently has a penchant for white plastic Christmas trees, but it was his not-so-festive party banter that sounded the most "off season" around the corridors of The Lodge in Canberra.
Turnbull opened the doors of The Lodge last week, following its years of renovations, to throw his annual Canberra Press Gallery Christmas party.
Malcolm Turnbull plays Santa's little helper in his office at Parliament House. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
In previous years former prime ministers, including Tony Abbott, revealed a far more amusing side to themselves at the annual Christmas knees-up, especially Abbott who was famous for his often self-deprecating one-liners (god knows he had plenty of material).
Not so for Prime Minister Turnbull, who took his guests aback by launching into a six-minute tirade on "Mediscare" while bemoaning his media guests' lot by harping on about the all-too-familiar challenges facing the real news business in the face of Facebook feeds, Instagram-loving celebrities and the era of fake news.
But the party did provide the opportunity for a closer inspection of the meticulous renovations to the 1927 Georgian revival-style mansion, a touchy project that began under the Gillard and Abbott governments and cost taxpayers $11.6million, only to be finished off by a further $130,000 injection from the Turnbulls' own coffers.
PS's party mole described it thus: "It really has that Lucy Turnbull touch to it ... very nice but very inoffensive and I'm sure it's nothing as grand as their Point Piper pad."
Croaky has something to growl about
It's been more than 40 years since millionaire Sydney luxury car and superyacht dealer Neville Crichton was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer, aged just 29. Amazingly he has hardly skipped a beat ever since, despite having his voice box and oesophagus removed, and an artificial one implanted.
These days he presses a small hole in his neck that allows him to communicate with a husky voice, hence his nickname 'Croaky'.
However PS hears that despite years of good health, Crichton, 71, has recently experienced a few setbacks which have resulted in delaying his wedding to his beautiful bride-to-be, Nadi Hasandedic.
Neville Chrichton and his fiance Nadi Hasandedic. Photo: Supplied
Not that she is too concerned, apparently the 30-something beauty has taken delivery of a new "fur baby" in the shape of a fluffy puppy which has been giving Croaky a bit of grief when it sits on his very, very, VERY expensive car seats.
Do the time-warp: hunt for late-night chat show host in WASP territory
As we head into television's non-ratings twilight zone, behind the scenes at the three commercial networks plans are being hatched to recreate one of the small screen's most enduring concepts: the celebrity-filled, ratings-winning late-night chat show.
But it is the trickiest element the networks are struggling with as they hunt for the right host - critical for success.
However, from what PS has discovered, instead of revolutionising the format and claiming new territory, channels Seven, Nine and Ten are stuck in the same mindset that gave audiences the likes of Steve Vizard, Don Lane and even Rove McManus, by auditioning funny (admittedly of variety degrees), straight, white and safe guys for the plum gig.
Despite the emerging wealth of highly-entertaining, quick-witted and engaging female, culturally and ethnically diverse identities on television today, from Kitty Flanagan and Julia Morris to John Safran, Joel Creasey and Lawrence Leung, the idea of a late-night chat show remains very much in straight, WASP boy's territory.
So far Channel Seven has either screen-tested, or at the very least considered, Lawrence Mooney, Darren McMullen and Ed Kavalee to helm a potential new show in 2017. But they are yet to reveal any concrete plans. Of that three, the often controversial Mooney would clearly present the greatest risk, but that could also be his strength. However, the screen tests are ongoing and will be throughout the summer non-ratings period.
Comedian Lawrence Mooney has been considered by Channel Seven for late-night talk TV. Photo: Simon Schluter
Over at Channel Nine, earlier reports claiming McManus had been auditioning for a late-night show appear to be a little off the mark, with sources saying it was yet another panel show concept, hosted by McManus and not too dissimilar to Channel Ten's Project, which McManus was instrumental in getting off the ground nearly a decade ago.
Rove's appearance in the Channel NIne corridors is said to have ruffled a few of the network's in-house male stars, not the least Karl Stefanovic, who has long harboured ambitions for a late night chat show of his own, though his attempts with The Verdict last year were met with a luke warm reception among viewers.
And over at Channel 10, re-born game show host Grant Denyer has made no secret of his desire to get in on the late-night act, even hitting Twitter to fantasise about his own show, toying with the idea of Family Feud going rogue.
Denyer tweeted: "ohhh to be able to have a play in late night territory. That would be wild. An unchained version would be fabulous chaos."
God help us.
Party Animal
If you think your Christmas party season is hectic, spare a thought for Sydney's drug dogs, who have been sniffing their way across some of the best soirees in the city.
According to the @SniffOff Twitter feed, it has been quite a social itinerary.
On one night last week the Sniffer Dog was spotted enjoying the innocent delights of Luna Park at 7pm, mixing it with the suits at the Argyle at the Rocks at 9pm then working the room at Rag and Famish in North Sydney at 9.30pm before a quick stop off at the Mt Whalan Shops in Mt Druitt at 10:56pm and finally, finishing the night under the disco lights at the Chinese Laundry on Sussex Street at 11.42pm. Such stamina!
One sniffer dog had a busy night this week. Photo: Paul Rovere
It's time to save the 'whales'
They were the beloved, cashed-up Chinese "whales" James Packer had gambled so much of his empire on, but signs are emerging that the southern migration to the poker tables of Sydney may have come to an abrupt end.
From private jet charters to luxury limousine transfers, Sydney-based operators have quietly been discussing the loss of the once lucrative Chinese high rollers who had been visiting The Star, as well as Packer's Crown Melbourne, on their gambling holidays.
"It's completely dried up in the past month, they are too scared to come here," one operator divulged to PS this week.
"A lot of them were buying expensive life insurance policies in the mainland, and cashing them in in Hong Kong, then using that money to come and gamble in Australia. It was harder for the Chinese to trace where the money was going. But ever since the government cracked down on them over there, they are avoiding Sydney and Australia big time."
The knock-on effect will no doubt also be felt across parts of Sydney's luxury goods sector, which has experienced boom years largely thanks to increasing patronage from status-obsessed Chinese visitors.
It was not uncommon for wealthy Chinese visitors to drop $15,000 on a designer handbag between their sessions in the high roller's rooms, reassured the product was genuine rather than one of the knock-offs that flood the Chinese homeland.
Packer's Crown is still desperately trying to contain the fallout from the arrest in mid-October of 18 of its employees by Chinese authorities.
James Packer has faced negative press about his falling out with Mariah Carey. Photo: Justin Chin
Formally detained on what the Chinese have called "gambling crimes", only one of the 18 has been released, while Crown's international VIP boss, Jason O'Connor, and two Australian colleagues remain in custody and could remain there for up to six months.
Meanwhile Packer, who has weathered a storm of negative press about his personal life since his engagement to Mariah Carey imploded in full public view, has been conspicuously absent from the global social radar ever since.
Packer did not attend Ryan Stokes' wedding last week, though he was rumoured to be on the guest list. Neither was he seen at the launch of Crown Perth this week, as rumours swirled about his personal life and exact whereabouts.
However PS can confirm Packer has been at his polo property, Ellerstina, in Argentina, about an hour's drive from Buenos Aires. And, while he has been dealing with those "personal issues", his ex-wife Erica and their three children visited for Thanksgiving.
Meanwhile this week his chief lieutenant John Alexander and personal trainer Damien Chapman along with old friend Ben Tilley, joined him in Argentina. PS has been assured he remains very much an "active" business force despite the personal turmoil.