Australian radio show behind royal hoax call axed
The Australian radio show at the centre of the royal hoax controversy is taken off air permanently, but the two DJs behind the call could still keep their jobs.
Mel Greig and Michael Christian were at the centre of an international scandal when the nurse who transferred their call at the King Edward Hospital in London – where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for pregnancy-related illness – was found dead in December.
The pair are reported to have gone into hiding after the tragedy but radio network Austereo has stated that they will be “returning to work when the time is right, in roles that make full use of their talents”.
The network has banned prank calls after Mel Greig posed as the Queen and tricked staff into discussing Kate Middleton’s health.
Nurse Jacinta Saldahna, a 46-year-old mother of two, took her life in December in the aftermath of the 2Day FM call. The DJs subsequently made tearful apologies on television but remain out of the public eye.
The show, Hot 30, has now been officially axed and will be replaced by a new programme called The Bump, with a new presenter. The show was on hiatus for nearly two months.
Two producers from Hot 30, Emily Mills and Ben Harlum, will work on the new show which is described as an interactive social media music programme.