Channel Nine’s Karl Stefanovic has revealed the truth about an embarrassing tattoo fail.
The 49-year-old Today host opened up about his youthful mistake during an appearance on Nova 100’s Jase and Lauren Show on Wednesday.
The breakfast star said that for over twenty years he had the incorrect translation of a tattoo which is written in Japanese on his left shoulder.
He made the cringeworthy admission when discussing tattoos after host Lauren Phillips asked him what the markings on his shoulder said.
‘Well, it’s controversial, because when I got it done, I wanted it to say ”to be real and to love”, right? he begun.

Channel Nine’s Karl Stefanovic has revealed the truth about an embarrassing tattoo fail. Pictured

The 49-year-old Today host opened up about his youthful mistake during an appearance on Nova 100’s Jase and Lauren Show on Wednesday. Pictured: Lauren Phillips and Jase Hawkins
‘And then, like, 20 years later, I’m in this pool with this Japanese lady and I said what does this mean?
‘She goes, ”It doesn’t mean that”. And I said, well what does it mean? She goes, ”It means you really love yourself!”
A clearly amused Lauren replied: ‘Perfect!’
It comes after Karl revealed he was keeping a keen eye on the drama unfolding at rival network Seven, according to a new report.
The Today show host has been ‘thinking about his future’ as shakeups and staffing changes occur among his peers, particularly rumours that beloved journalist Mark Ferguson will be ‘shafted’ as the weeknight newsreader – a claim Seven has denied.

He made the cringeworthy admission when discussing tattoos after host Lauren Phillips asked him what the markings on his shoulder said

It comes after sports-weary Today show viewers took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction about the show being too focused on State of Origin recently. Pictured: Karl Stefanovic (left), 49, and Sarah Abo (right), 38

Karl openly gushed about the QLD Maroons victory against the NSW Blues , telling Sarah at the start of the show, ‘I’m not going to gloat, but let’s start with that blissful taste of victory’
It comes after sports-weary Today show viewers took to social media to voice their dissatisfaction about the show being too focused on State of Origin recently.
Following Game One on, co-hosts Karl Stefanovic, 49, and Sarah Abo, 38, sat behind an NRL-branded desk on June 6.
Karl openly gushed about the QLD Maroons victory against the NSW Blues, telling Sarah at the start of the show, ‘I’m not going to gloat, but let’s start with that blissful taste of victory.’
For the rest of the program many of the Today team, including Karl, Sarah and reporter Brooke Boney, continued to discuss the State of Origin match – which quickly ruffled the feathers of disinterested viewers.
Upset fans took to the Media Spy forums to voice their grievance with the Today show’s big focus on the NRL.
‘I get it’s a one off but today’s show was way too Origin heavy. The rest of the country don’t care,’ one viewer sniped.
‘Report it of course but in my opinion it was overload. I wouldn’t be surprised if Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide viewers switched over.’
‘Why is the AFL guy in Melbourne talking about Origin?’ another viewer asked and a third chipped in: ‘They always have one NRL rep and one AFL rep. They talk both codes in that segment.’