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Ally Langdon's ACA replacement announced

<p>Less than one year after taking over the coveted hosting role of <em>A Current Affair</em>, Ally Langdon's replacement has officially been announced. </p> <p>Langdon is taking a well-deserved annual leave break for a few weeks, with another veteran female journalist taking the reins while she's away. </p> <p>Just weeks after being axed from her role at 2GB radio, Deborah Knight will take over from Langdon while she's enjoying her leave. </p> <p>Knight revealed her temporary new role on Instagram on Tuesday, writing, "In the @acurrentaffair9 hot seat for a couple of weeks while @allisonlangdon enjoys a break. Tune in!"</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0bJu0-JYsb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0bJu0-JYsb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Deborah Knight (@deborah_knight)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It's unclear how long Ally will be away, but it appears to be just for the summer holidays.  </p> <p>The news of Deb Knight's new role comes just days after her <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/deb-knight-s-2gb-replacement-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replacement</a> on 2GB was announced, with Michael McLaren taking over the <em>Afternoons</em> program from January 15th next year. </p> <p>The 38-year-old presenter told Ben Fordham on Thursday that he had "big boots to fill" but was excited to start the role. </p> <p>"I am honoured to be doing it. There has been a rich and great legacy on 2GB for years and years on afternoons and most recently with Deb so it is big boots to fill," McLaren said. </p> <p>"I am going to do my best."</p> <p>According to <em>The Sunday Telegraph</em>, Knight reportedly felt "shattered" after Nine Radio informed her earlier this month that she would be axed as host after her four year stint. </p> <p>Knight was told of the decision just one week before the news was broken to the public, but shared that she would not be leaving the network for good, as she will be taking up a new role as the national host of <em>Money News.</em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine - A Current Affair</em></p> <p> </p>

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"I just got brushed": Ally Langdon responds to greatest snub in Australian television

<p>An awkward exchange between Tracy Grimshaw and her rumoured A Current Affair replacement has been caught on camera and immediately went viral on social media.</p> <p>The media veteran bid an emotional farewell to ACA after 17 years of hosting. Of course, Channel 9 staff delivered a standing ovation after she signed off for the last time.</p> <p>However, the clip shows a very awkward exchange between Grimshaw and current Today co-host Allison Langdon.</p> <p>After hugging several other staffers, Grimshaw approaches Langdon, who has her arms outstretched ready for an embrace. Instead of acknowledging this, Grimshaw instead walks right past her, appearing to slightly shake her head before leaning in for a hug with a male colleague.</p> <p>The clip immediately attracted thousands of likes, comments and shares. “I’m actually second hand embarrassed for that lady,” one person wrote, while another added they “need to know the drama” behind the exchange.</p> <p>“In front of at LEAST 50 people as well,” another commented, while one TikTok user said it was proof “Allison is definitely taking her place!”</p> <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@badassnewss/video/7169539767065955586" data-video-id="7169539767065955586"> <section><a title="@badassnewss" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@badassnewss?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@badassnewss</a> Tracy Grimshaw has signed off ACA for the last time and also regected a hug from Today Show host - Allison Langdon on the way out 😬 bit awks. <a title="tracygrimshaw" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tracygrimshaw?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#tracygrimshaw</a> <a title="acurrentaffair" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/acurrentaffair?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#acurrentaffair</a> <a title="goodonyatrace" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/goodonyatrace?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#goodonyatrace</a> <a title="congratulations🎉" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/congratulations%F0%9F%8E%89?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#congratulations🎉</a> <a title="♬ another love sped up - avery" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/another-love-sped-up-7043057957856398126?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ another love sped up - avery</a></section> </blockquote> <p>Langdon and Stefanovic weighed in on the “snub” on Today describing the situation as “brutal” but explaining that there was a “reason” behind the apparent brush off.</p> <p>The pair revealed they had “managed to secure some never-before-seen footage from another angle of the shock snub”, with the new clip showing the excruciating moment in even clearer detail.</p> <p>“That’s the moment my heart breaks,” Langdon said.</p> <p>“Look how red my face is. I just got brushed. I don’t think Tracy knows who I am.”</p> <p>Stefanovic joked Langdon “didn’t have much sleep last night”, with his co-host teasing that she was “devastated” after being “brushed” by her “hero”.</p> <p>They went on to share a statement from Grimshaw herself clearing up the incident, with her confirming it had been a big misunderstanding: “I’m sorry I missed you, was so overwhelmed and obviously didn’t see your petite head once Karl’s big boofhead loomed into vision. Argh, big sorry x’’ the statement said.</p> <p>Langdon said she had accepted the apology and the Today co-hosts joked about it being “one of the greatest snubs in Australian television”.</p> <p>“Anyway, apology accepted Trace. It was a very big night. It was a beautiful night to be part of. I have decided I still love her,” Langdon said.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

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Tracy Grimshaw reflects on her 16-year journey on A Current Affair

<p>Every Monday for the last 16 years, Tracy Grimshaw has welcomed viewers to A Current Affair, which has fast become one of the most incisive public affairs shows in Australian television history.</p> <p>But despite all the accolades and criticism that comes with the job, the host says the first day back is similar to riding a bike - especially after a tumultuous year like 2020.</p> <p>"Last year it was a sprint every day and the year was a marathon," Grimshaw told 9Now.</p> <p>"I think particularly at the start of the pandemic, it was a really critical time for journalism. It was an important time for good journalism.</p> <p>"We had a very tense few months at the start when there was this hunger for information, and we didn't know much about how the virus would pan out.</p> <p>"But towards the end of the year we did a handful of shows where we didn't mention the virus at all. It becomes really organic."</p> <p>Grimshaw began presenting A Current Affair in 2006, replacing Ray Martin as anchor after nine years alongside Steve Liebmann, and later Karl Stefanovic, as the co-host of Today.</p> <p>With the pandemic changing the face of the world in 2020, newsrooms began to switch up their format.</p> <p>"As it started to take hold in March and April there was this massive thirst for information, and for credible information," says Grimshaw.</p> <p>"And that became our job, to try and feed that hunger. Knowledge is power and the more you know the more calm you can be, the less frightened you'll be."</p> <p>A Current Affair is widely known to champion the causes felt by the average Aussie, which is why they were suddenly expected to reveal what is fact and what is fiction when it came to information surrounding the virus.</p> <p>"I think for all of us, it wasn't just about myth busting, even though that is important. I think it all comes under the banner of reliable information. And what we saw last year was an explosion of unreliable information," Grimshaw says.</p> <p>"We had people pushing their own agendas, and it was part of our job to try and cut through what felt like an unwieldy amount of information that was coming in from around the world on the virus.</p> <p>"It was our job to make sure that the people we talked to knew their stuff. That every expert we called literally the best in their field."</p> <p>While much of the year was spent wading through the best – and mostly the worst – of the pandemic, there was still the magic that makes<span> </span><em>A Current Affair</em><span> </span>so riveting: from warring neighbours hosing down reporters to dodgy tradies, it was all there.</p>

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A Current Affair dodges questions about who paid for Pauline Hanson’s Uluru trip

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affair</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has dodged questions as to whether or not it paid for controversial One Nation leader Pauline Hanson to climb Uluru.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After a trailer was dropped for Monday night’s episode of the current affairs show, many had questions as to how the show was granted access to Hanson’s trip.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">It's still legal. But is it right?<br />MONDAY. 7.00PM. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9ACA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9ACA</a>. <a href="https://t.co/YywKw3Rk2r">pic.twitter.com/YywKw3Rk2r</a></p> — A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9/status/1164831623231111169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">23 August 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nine would not confirm to </span><a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/2019/08/25/nine-uluru-pauline-hanson/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>The New Daily</em></span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as to whether or not they had paid for the trip.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Pauline Hanson has recently expressed a desire to attempt to climb Uluru after the announcement that local landowners would be enforcing their desire to prohibit people climbing the magnificent natural landmark,” a <em>Nine</em> spokesman said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Ms Hanson invited </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affair</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, along with local land owners, on that journey.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affair</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> have defended their decision to film her journey, saying that it would help Australians gain an insight into the debate.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ACA</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> team followed due diligence to ensure all permits were granted and the climb was approved, and engaged local elders who agreed to meet with Ms Hanson,” the spokesperson told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Daily</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hanson also shared a post to Instagram, saying that she was heading back to Alice Springs with the “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Current Affair </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">crew”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Heading back to Alice Springs with the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Current Affairs</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> crew,” she wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I managed to get front seat for a change. Don’t forget to watch the show Monday night.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kHhvIAzIP/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kHhvIAzIP/" target="_blank">Heading back to Alice Springs with the A Current Affairs crew. I managed to get front seat for a change. Don’t forget to watch the show Monday night. #aca #PaulineHanson #traceygrimshaw #OneNation #Uluru #ayersrock</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/senatorpaulinehanson/" target="_blank"> Pauline Hanson</a> (@senatorpaulinehanson) on Aug 24, 2019 at 3:58pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Last Thursday, Hanson told </span><em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/alicesprings/programs/breakfast/pauline-for-online/11438506"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ABC</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that she now understands why climbing Uluru would be banned.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s quite scary. I was surprised. I’d never been out there before,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I respect the decision that there is not enough safety with regards to the rock.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I respect the decision that their people, their kids, are not getting jobs. They’re bringing in Aboriginals from outside to fill the positions that should belong to their own people.”</span></p>

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A Current Affair busts cancer con-artist Belle Gibson on lavish $15K holiday

<p>Cancer con woman Belle Gibson has been caught out returning from a luxury trip overseas.</p> <p>Gibson convinced thousands of Australians that she was suffering from a brain tumour but healed herself due to natural remedies.</p> <p>As she was charged with five breaches of Australian Consumer Law, she was fined $400,000 in 2017 as her empire crumbled around her. Many have questioned how she can afford to go overseas on a luxurious escape to East Africa, as her five-week trip reportedly cost $15,000.</p> <p><em>A Current Affair</em> revealed details of her luxury overseas stay, as well as catching a refreshed-looking Gibson arriving back at Melbourne Airport with her partner by her side.</p> <p>This is the first time that Gibson has been confronted since her interview with <em>60 Minutes</em> in 2015, which Gibson reportedly received $75,000 for.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">BUSTED! <a href="https://twitter.com/tinekae9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tinekae9</a> catches-up with Belle Gibson after she touches down from a luxury getaway... she asks why Belle still hasn't made any effort to pay her 410K fine. <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a>. <a href="https://t.co/WlW0l9l6dh">pic.twitter.com/WlW0l9l6dh</a></p> — Jonathan Gwinner (@gwinnerism) <a href="https://twitter.com/gwinnerism/status/1100645341035032576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Gibson falsely claimed she had brain cancer and healed herself with natural remedies. She also lied to her supporters about donating money from her Whole Pantry app and her book sales to charities.</p> <p>One of these charities included a family whose son was suffering from the same inoperable brain tumour that Gibson herself claimed she had. Gibson was supposed to donate one week’s profit from app sales, or $150,000 to the family, but never ended up donating the funds.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BlcU_udDzfK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BlcU_udDzfK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by QNA Investigations (@qna.investigations)</a> on Jul 19, 2018 at 11:00pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Justin Lawrence, of Henderson &amp; Ball Lawyers, told<span> </span><em>A Current Affair</em>:</p> <p>“There can actually be another situation where she’s taken back to court and wheeled out from court to the jail cell,” he said.</p> <p>“That can happen, and this is not fake jail, jail in her (Belle’s) own mind. This is real jail.</p> <p>“The court understands when people can’t pay, that’s different to circumstances where they won’t pay.”</p> <p>What do you think? Let us know in the comments.</p>

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