She is the whip-smart investigative journalist. He is the jokester from MAFS. Now Stan Grant’s ex-wife Karla reveals the reason she fell in love with Nasser Sultan in Australia’s oddest celebrity couple

They have been coined Australia’s oddest celebrity couple.

Nasser Sultan and Karla Grant freely admit that they couldn’t be more different people. 

On the surface, it might not seem like there’s much that ties together the 59-year-old Walkley Award-winning SBS journalist and the 56-year-old Married at First Sight star, as their backgrounds appear quite different.

However, when ‘home husband’ Nasser rises from his seat during a video conference with Daily Mail Australia for a quick cup of tea, inadvertently revealing the lower part of his unbuttoned dress shirt and boxer shorts, Karla cannot help but laugh out loud.

After a challenging interview with a Harvard University professor, the respected SBS presenter could use a hearty chuckle.

‘She’s a much smarter person than me,’ Nasser says. 

‘I’m always thinking, “How did this happen?”’ 

‘The secret is I make her laugh a lot,’ he adds, confessing he still can’t pronounce ‘Walkley’. 

This week, the pair marked their six-month milestone since they first crossed paths. It all started when they attended a movie premiere of The Matrix, exactly four years ago.

‘Nasser came up to me and introduced himself,’ Karla explains. 

‘Of course I knew who he was because I’d seen him on MAFS.’ 

In 2018, a previous music manager who later became a personal trainer for people over 50 gained popularity through a reality TV show. Unfortunately, he didn’t succeed in finding love with Gabrielle Bartlett during that show.

Karla reminisces that during their first encounter, he expressed his appreciation for her work on SBS, which she found very pleasant.

She was spending some quality time with her son John, a budding musician, as they watched a film together. This son is one of the three kids she shares with her former spouse, Stan Grant, who they were married to for 16 years.

In this version, I’ve tried to make the sentence more conversational and easier to read by breaking it down into simpler clauses and using common phrasing.

She comments that he seemed genuinely kind when offering John guidance regarding the music industry, she notes.

Meanwhile, Nasser was immediately struck by Karla. 

For the following three years, the pair gradually grew familiar with each other through casual encounters at professional gatherings within the media sector, and Nasser consistently extended dinner and coffee dates to Karla.

‘I was always really busy with work. I’m kind of married to my job,’ Karla says. 

‘I travel a lot for shoots. Nass would message me and I’d say, “Sorry, I’m overseas next week.”

‘We were both seeing other people during that time as well.’

In October last year, Nasser extended an invitation to Karla for one of the notorious Maxim magazine’s adult-themed Halloween parties.

As a lifestyle expert, I would rephrase that statement as follows: When the respected journalist pointed out that she didn’t typically identify with events featuring scantily clad models, my response was, “Come now, that’s not sensible.

‘I thought “Well, why not?”‘ she says.

‘At the end of that party, he asked me out again.’ 

Karla declined Nasser’s next two invitations; one time due to taking care of her elderly mother, and another as she was traveling with her daughter during New Year’s Eve.

‘Another guy would’ve said “Stuff it!”‘ Nasser exclaims. 

Let me tell you, we’re not spring chickens anymore. Finding someone in our age bracket who’s got a steady job and still drives a stick shift is like searching for a needle in a haystack! So I hung in there for three long years, playing the waiting game.

When they met for that dinner with friends, Nasser says ‘it was love at first sight’.

‘I remember putting my hand between her legs, I mean on her lap,’ he jokes. 

‘We hit it off from there.’

Several months into the relationship, the only arguments the ‘foodie’ duo have is over what to eat.

‘We are very different,’ Karla explains.

‘Though people generally recognize me as a dedicated journalist, I also possess a humorous side, which Nasser seems to have brought forth even more. Our interactions were quite lively and entertaining.’

I adore spending time with Nass because we’re always joking around, having a blast, and sharing laughter. I believe our personalities really mesh well together.

In 2000, Karla’s divorce from Stan Grant made headlines as Karla, a broadcaster at the time, left Stan for his coworker Tracey Holmes. The media labeled Tracey as “The Wrecker of Holmes.

Due to an overwhelming amount of public scrutiny, the embattled couple felt compelled to resign simultaneously, as their employer, Seven Management, preferred they maintain separate living arrangements.

With Nasser, Karla experiences a sense of security and joy. The well-known former contestant on reality TV seems content to associate with her influential status.

‘There is never a dull moment with Nass. I’ve never dated anyone like him,’ she says. 

It’s been quite challenging for me to locate someone who appreciates my work, is aware of my frequent absences due to being occupied, and encourages me in my endeavors.

In 1995, Karla started working with SBS, and in 2002, she was appointed as the executive producer for their Indigenous Media Unit. She proposed the television series ‘Living Black’ to the higher-ups at the national broadcaster.

For the past two and a half decades, Karla has served as the anchor of an Indigenous current affairs program. Over this time, she’s had the privilege of speaking with a diverse range of individuals, including former Prime Ministers, high-ranking politicians, advisors, spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama, musicians, actors from Hollywood, artists, and historians.

In her romantic relationships, Karla mentions that numerous men aren’t fond of the spotlight associated with her dating profile.

She clarifies that her past experience shows that many individuals feel uncomfortable with the attention and exposure that comes from dating her. This can create a daunting situation for some, potentially causing strain in the relationship.

‘In our case, it’s different,’ she chuckles, implying that Nasser doesn’t shy away from being the focus.

Karla mentions that there is an agreement between them where people often approach both of them regularly.

Over the past few weeks, they’ve walked the red carpet as a pair at Australian Fashion Week, the Sydney Film Festival, the premiere of MJ The Musical, and were given exclusive tickets for Andrea Bocelli’s performance at the Sydney Opera House.

Both are fans of public displays of affection.     

‘We could be at an event and we hold hands and I still play with her a**,’ Nasser jokes. 

‘PDA is to show that other person “Hey I’m still here, I’m with you.” 

Karla mentions: ‘I adore his affectionate nature toward me, as well as his attentiveness. In fact, we often hold hands at home!’

She typically stays over at Nasser’s house in Sydney for about three to four nights each week, and she occasionally takes on the role of his social media manager when his posts need a bit of taming due to being too audacious.

‘She tells me when my spelling is wrong,’ he says. 

Additionally, the pair delight in fashion, cosmetics, and retail therapy. Karla refers to Nasser as “exhibiting vibrant flair.

She shares that he frequently visits thrift stores, always on the hunt for items for her. He sends photos over, seeking her opinion. These small, thoughtful gestures during the day make her feel special as they remind her he’s thinking of her.

‘It’s those little things that mean a lot. It might be him making me a cup of tea in the morning.’ 

Like teenagers with a mutual crush, the pair text each other all day long.  

‘Sometimes I do have a lot on my plate,’ Karla says. 

Despite feeling overwhelmed by potential issues at home or work, or being overly exhausted, I consistently find moments to send small messages.

We frequently exchange messages throughout the day. If we don’t meet up at night, we have conversations over the phone instead. Essentially, it’s about putting in the effort to stay connected.

Initially, the budding relationship was noticed by Daily Mail Australia in February, and it was also recognized by Karla’s coworkers at SBS around the same time.

In the whirlwind of our daily tasks at Herbert Street, Sydney, I found myself swept away by a tantalizing rumor that had everyone buzzing: “Who is Karla seeing these days?” The news spread like wildfire, igniting a flurry of speculation and excitement among us all.

‘Um…They were… surprised, I’ll say that much. They were very surprised,’ she says.

However, they noticed my happiness and responded with a lengthy comment, “Since you’re content, that’s what truly matters. Our primary wish is for you to remain joyful.

One point she wants to emphasize is that, even though her boyfriend has a known history of creating attention-grabbing spectacles, their love is genuine and authentic.

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2025-06-14 08:50