Australian DJs Break Silence Over Royal Prank Call

Two Australian radio announcers who made a prank call to a British hospital treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate break a three-day silence after the apparent suicide of the nurse who took their call.

Published

5 months ago

Categories

World

Topics

Royals, Oceania, Europe

People

Jacintha Saldanha, Mel Greig, Michael Christian

Places

Australia, United Kingdom

Transcript

Two Australian radio announcers responsible for a controversial royal hospital prank call have broken their silence on Australian television. Mel Greig and Michael Christian have been in hiding since news spread of the apparent suicide of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who had picked up their call, as the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for morning sickness. The hosts, both relatively new to their radio station, said they were devastated by the outcome of the prank. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 2DAYFM RADIO DISC JOCKEY MEL GREIG SAYING: "Unfortunately I remember that moment very well because I haven't stopped thinking about it since it happened and I remember my first question was 'was she a mother?'" (SOUNDBITE) (English) TODAY TONIGHT JOURNALIST CLARE BRADY ASKING: "When you found out she was, of two children, how did you feel? (SOUNDBITE) (English) 2DAYFM RADIO DISC JOCKEY MEL GREIG SAYING: "Very sorry and saddened for the family and I can't imagine what they'd be going through." They said they never meant for the joke to go so far. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 2DAYFM RADIO DISC JOCKEY MICHAEL CHRISTIAN SAYING: "I mean we just assumed that with the voices that we put on, you know, we were going to get told off and that was the gag." (SOUNDBITE) (English) 2DAYFM RADIO DISC JOCKEY MEL GREIG SAYING: "There's nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now. And for what I feel for the family. We're so sorry that this has happened to them." The controversy has renewed a call for tighter media regulation of shock radio programming in Australia.