Karl Stefanovic's podcast ratings soar after leaving Nine - as questions loom about whether he can maintain the success

appears to be proving he doesn't need a television network to attract an audience, with his podcast achieving a new ratings record.

Just weeks after his dramatic departure from Channel Nine, the veteran broadcaster, 51, has found a new following through his independent podcast, with viewers flocking to hear his headline-making interviews.

The digital success comes just days after , with rival Sunrise widening its lead in the breakfast television battle. 

Stefanovic has barely been out of the news since his controversial interview with British far-right activist sparked a chain of events that ultimately cost him both his role on Today and a newly announced ARN radio partnership alongside Eddie McGuire.

Now, Stefanovic appears to be forging a very different career path away from mainstream media.

His latest interview with has attracted more than 320,000 views on  in just a matter of days, while his growing channel has amassed around 172,000 subscribers as viewers follow his move into long-form digital content.

While YouTube views and OzTAM television ratings are not directly comparable, the strong online numbers suggest many viewers remain interested in Stefanovic's next move, even as Today struggles to regain its footing. 

Several recent interviews have comfortably surpassed the 200,000-view mark, suggesting there is strong curiosity surrounding Stefanovic's next chapter.

However, media insiders caution that much of the early momentum may struggle to sustain itself over the coming months.

After weeks of headlines surrounding his Nine exit, the backlash over the Robinson interview and the collapse of his ARN radio deal,

The challenge now will be converting that short-term curiosity into a sustainable audience once the headlines inevitably move on.

His next slate of guests is understood to be far less divisive than his prior ones - which also included One Nation's Pauline Hanson and axed radio star Kyle Sandilands - with more mainstream names expected to feature as the podcast attempts

The surge in online interest comes as Today continues to battle for viewers against rival breakfast program Sunrise.

Meanwhile, Stefanovic's interview with Morgan still attracted a larger online audience than the 268,000 Australians who tuned into Today on the same day.