Cassandra Thorburn takes a swipe at her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic as she reveals he did not reach out after her cancer diagnosis: 'I know who he is'

Cassandra Thorburn has taken a swipe at her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic following her months-long battle with a rare form of breast cancer. 

The TV journalist, who was married to Karl for over two decades before their split in 2016, told The Sydney Morning Herald this week she hadn't heard from him after publicly announcing her cancer diagnosis in February. 

'No, I know who he is. It's others that don't,' the 55-year-old said. 

Taking another dig at her ex, Cassandra also claimed that her former spouse had always been into 'clickbait' prior to launching his new right-wing podcast, The Karl Stefanovic Show.

Elsewhere, Cassandra - who is now cancer-free but continuing radiation and immunotherapy treatment - spoke to the publication about 'cancer ghosting' - a phenomenon where friends and family suddenly pull away from someone who is diagnosed with cancer.

'Some people either don't know what to say or, just too much time passes in their head,' she said.

'If you are diagnosed with cancer, I can guarantee, you have zero expectation of anyone else. You don't start judging your friends or colleagues, or anyone you have known in your past, and thinking, 'why don't they reach out to me'?' 

'That's not what you're thinking. What you are thinking, though, is you don't expect people to leave.' 

Back in May, Cassandra had uploaded a raw video discussing cancer ghosting, referring to it as a 'taboo topic' that is more common than people realise. 

'A recent side conversation got me thinking about a seemingly taboo cancer topic: Cancer ghosting,' she told her followers. 

'What is it? And why can it be more painful than cancer treatment, according to a survivor article I read?'

Cassandra went on to assure anyone who is suffering from cancer that being abandoned during such a difficult time isn't their fault. 

'It's typically driven by those friends' own emotional limitations rather than their lack of care,' she said.

It is not suggested however that Karl Stefanovic engaged in any cancer ghosting of Cassandra.

Cassandra was married to Karl from 1995 until their separation in 2016.

They share three children: Jackson, 25, Ava, 19, and River, 18.

Karl has since remarried, tying the knot with former model Jasmine Yarbrough in 2018. The couple share a daughter, Harper, six. 

Cassandra began her career as a media personality and television journalist, before putting her professional aspirations on hold to raise her three children. 

Karl thanked her in his 2011 Logies-winning speech for 'giving up' her budding career as a journalist to focus on her family.