Chris Smith, a disgraced broadcaster, had a minuscule chance of salvaging his career, yet important colleagues lined up to criticize him before he was sacked from both of his jobs.
Smith was sacked from 2GB on Tuesday afternoon after media figures like Laura Jayes, Rita Panahi, Andrew Bolt, and Ray Hadley criticized him for his disgusting behavior at a Christmas party.
The following day, he was sacked from Sky News.
Paul Whittaker, CEO of Sky News Australia, stated in a statement that Smith’s contract had been terminated owing to allegations of “severe misconduct.”
Mr. Whittaker stated, “Following an inquiry into claims of significant misconduct, we have informed Chris Smith that his contract with Sky News Australia has been terminated due to improper conduct in violation of his contract and company policy.”
We continue to offer assistance to affected employees, whose welfare remains our first priority.
Tom Malone, managing director of radio for Nine, stated, “Chris’s actions constitute a major breach of his contract and are not consistent with the principles of 2GB.”
Respected Sky News journalist Laura Jayes is believed to have advocated on behalf of the ladies insulted by Chris Smith at the now-infamous Christmas party, and then exerted pressure on management.
Chris Smith (pictured) has been suspended from his duties at Sky News and terminated from his position at 2GB. He claimed he did not recollect the events that led to his demise, blaming polar disorder and alcoholism for his behavior.
He states that the media company has supported Smith in recent days and will continue to do so as necessary.
Saturday’s intoxicated behavior at the Sky News Christmas party, during which he allegedly made comments so vulgar that one female coworker was moved to tears and another smacked him, proved to be his undoing.
Hadley described Smith as a “disgraceful” individual with a history of “monstering” young female coworkers and regurgitating the same justifications.
Smith claimed he could not recollect the events that led to his demise, attributing his actions to a psychiatric illness and alcoholism.
In 2009, when he was accused of harassing four female employees at the 2GB Christmas party, he used the same justification.
On Saturday night, Jayes reportedly advocated for the women harmed by Smith’s behavior at The Ivy Sunroom and The Establishment.
During Smith’s show, Rita Panahi (above) of Sky also criticized her. According to Panahi, based on what he did on Saturday night and how he made a number of ladies feel, he can never return to this network.
“I am extremely heartbroken and devastated to know I offended my coworkers at our Christmas celebration,” Smith (seen above at a prior event) said on Monday afternoon.
Rita Panahi, a colleague of Smith’s at Sky, tweeted this on Monday afternoon.
Jayes reportedly approached Sky News management to discuss Smith’s conduct.
Panahi also insists that Smith’s tenure at Sky should end.
Based on what he did on Saturday night and how he made a number of women feel, he should never appear on this network again, in my opinion.
She also tweeted “good riddance to terrible garbage,” which Jayes utilized in an Instagram post in which she presented Bolt’s perspective on the affair.
Bolt demanded the dismissal of the banned broadcaster during a segment spanning over three minutes on his Sky program on Monday evening.
Hadley stated on Tuesday that he did not believe Smith should ever return to a network.
I’d be extremely shocked if he ever returned to anywhere, and I don’t believe the radio and television industries will suffer from his departure.
The following day, Hadley, who is officially on vacation, called 2GB to deliver a scathing evaluation of Smith’s conduct and character, labeling him a “drunk fool.”
Hadley called Smith, 60, a “disgraceful individual” after Smith allegedly made obscene remarks at the end-of-year party on Saturday, sending a female coworker to tears.
He called onto his show, which was temporarily hosted by Mark Levy, to attack Smith, claiming Smith had a history of’monstering young women.’
Chris Smith has apologized for his inebriated behavior toward female coworkers at the Sky News holiday party and disclosed that he had checked himself into a mental health facility. Smith is shown with his wife Susie Burrell, who departed the family residence on Sunday.
Even though Ray Hadley is on leave from 2GB, he visited the station to criticize Smith for allegedly having a habit of “monstering young women.”
It will be much better for him to leave. So good riddance to awful crap,’ Hadley added.
“I’m ashamed to have worked with [Smith] in the past, and I hope I never have to work with him again.”
My sympathies are with the young women who have been victimized by him not only this time but also in the past. He is a disgusting individual.
Saturday night’s debacle resulted in Smith’s suspension from Sky News, and his situation proceeded to deteriorate when he was fired from 2GB.
It is believed that his wife, celebrity nutritionist Susie Burrell, has moved out of the family home with their twin sons.
Since then, he has apologized for his ‘humiliating’ behavior and entered a mental health facility.
He blamed addiction and bipolar disorder for his actions, the same justification the veteran broadcaster offered 13 years earlier for inappropriate behavior at a 2GB Christmas party.
In a statement made on Monday afternoon, Smith apologized for his behavior and stated that the actions at the party were not indicative of his behavior at work.
Chris Smith, shown with his wife Susie Burrell, was suspended after complaints of inappropriate behavior at the Sky News Christmas party.
Smith said, “I am completely horrified and heartbroken to learn that I offended my coworkers during our Christmas party.”
“I sincerely apologize to the women I offended. That is never the man I am at work, as everyone will attest. They have been so kind to me and do not deserve such intoxicated behavior.
Smith attributed the occurrences on his bipolar disorder and alcoholism, claiming, “I have a recurrent problem with alcohol… it makes me manic.”
Tuesday, Hadley criticized Smith for making the same justifications when he called into 2GB.
‘Young women should be safeguarded, they shouldn’t attend Christmas parties and be victimized by intoxicated fools, as was the case in this incident, and I have no sympathy for him because I’ve heard all of his justifications before: Hadley explained, “I am bipolar, I drink too much, and I am a monster when I drink.”
Four or five times over the years, we have heard this statement.
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