Alex Cullen has announced his return to TV, just eight months after he was let go by Channel Nine following a headline-making scandal.
Earlier this year, Alex left the Nine Network after accepting a $50,000 gift from The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli, who offered money to the first journalist to call him “McLaren Man” on-air.
On Wednesday, the 44-year-old revealed on Gold 104.3’s The Christian O’Connell Show that he has signed with Channel Seven to host a new afternoon news program.
“It was a significant day yesterday with me, signing a contract with Seven, which was really exciting,” Cullen said.
“I’m going to be the Afternoon Host on Channel Seven. So we’re going to be taking you through the afternoon. We’re going to have a show at three o’clock.”
He also shared who the show is aimed at and when it’s expected to begin.
“We’re going to get all the nannas, the pensioners, the stay-at-home mums! We’re going to do something a little bit later in the month. Commercial TV moves at a glacial pace and we want to get this right,” he said.
Host Christian O’Connell joked about the competition from Channel Nine’s game show Tipping Point, hosted by Todd Woodbridge.
But Cullen sounded confident. “They are doing well… but not for long!”
In addition to the new TV role, Cullen will continue as the sports presenter on the top-rating Melbourne breakfast radio show.
Earlier this year, Cullen left the Nine Network after accepting a $50,000 gift from The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli. The gesture sparked controversy, with concerns the gift may have breached journalistic ethics.
Accepting cash, gifts or benefits that could undermine journalistic independence, and using a media position for personal gain, are considered breaches of the code of ethics by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance.
Today host Karl Stefanovic addressed Cullen’s exit live on-air.
“As most of you are well aware, our colleague Alex Cullen has not been on air with us this past week,” he told viewers at the time.
“There has been widespread reporting on the circumstances surrounding this. What I can say is that last night, Alex and Nine agreed he would finish with the network.”
“Cullen has, of course, been part of the Today family for five years now. He’s always ready with a smile and a laugh, and without hesitation, speaking for all of us here, we can say that we are going to miss him terribly.”
Although Portelli later claimed that Cullen had planned to donate the money to charity, the network still chose to part ways.
Cullen’s new show is expected to launch later this month.
Image: Nine
