CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses suicide.
Radio host Michael Christian — who was part of the infamous 2012 prank call to a London hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated — is taking legal action against his former employer Southern Cross Austereo (SCA), alleging the radio presenters were “hung out to dry” as the “convenient fall guys” after the segment.
On December 4, 2012, Christian and co-host Mel Greig were presenting on 2Day FM — which is owned by SCA — when they made a call to King Edward VII hospital. At the time, Middleton, then Duchess of Cambridge, had been admitted for severe morning sickness ahead of the birth of her first child.
During the pre-recorded call, the co-hosts impersonated King Charles III and Queen Elizabeth II and obtained private medical information of the princess. Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who transferred the call, took her own life several days later.
Christian alleges the pair was ordered by the station’s production team to make a prank call to the hospital, and that the broadcaster had promised support if the on-air content ever went too far. Over a decade later, he is suing 2Day FM’s broadcaster SCA amid claims they did not step in during the fall-out.
As reported by 9News, he is taking legal action for physical and psychological distress, and alleges he and Greig were “left exposed to relentless public vitriol, harassment and abuse” after Saldanha’s death.
Per the claim, Christians alleges the pair initially objected to the call and broadcasting the recording, but their concerns were not addressed.
“The radio presenters were hung out to dry by SCA as the convenient fall guys and scapegoats,” Christian’s legal team Harmers Workplace Lawyers said, per 9News.
“Michael continues to suffer severe mental health issues as a result of the continuing public backlash, all these years later.”
His legal team allege his career suffered as a result of the backlash, and that his employers had assured him SCA would help restore his reputation. But it’s alleged SCA “marginalised him” and prevented him from talking about the royal prank.
Greig departed the network at the end of 2013 while Christian — whose role was made redundant in February — was with the network for almost two decades.
His legal action also alleges his redundancy was not genuine, as the broadcaster still requires the role to be performed by somebody else, per Mumbrella.
He is suing under the Fair Work Act, the Corporations Act as a whistleblower and under the Common Law Act for breach of contract.
In a statement to PEDESTRIAN.TV, an SCA spokesperson said: “As the matter is currently before the courts, and out of respect for the legal process and the privacy of those involved, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time.”
In 2015, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) released its report into the matter, finding the radio station breached a condition of its broadcast licence by secretly recording the call with the nurse.
The same year, Australia’s high court backed the broadcasting watchdog’s finding that the radio station broke the law with the prank call.
Christian is seeking penalties, compensation for economic loss and damages. The matter is yet to appear before the federal court.
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