Channel Nine has issued a firm rebuttal to rumours suggesting its weekend news anchor, Georgie Gardner, was hesitant to front the network's rolling coverage of the devastating Bondi terror attack last Sunday.
Network Rejects 'Alarmist' Claim
A spokesperson for the broadcaster told the Daily Mail that reports claiming Gardner told producers interrupting regular programming might seem 'alarmist' were completely without foundation. The network stated there was no basis to the claim whatsoever.
According to earlier reports from News Corp, insiders had suggested that during discussions about halting Sunday schedules to cover the unfolding crisis, Gardner expressed concern over the potential perception of the move. However, Nine has slammed these accounts as inaccurate.
Coverage of a National Tragedy
The incident in question was Australia's second-worst mass shooting, which occurred during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in Bondi. Fifteen innocent people, including a 10-year-old girl, were killed, and 40 others were injured.
The alleged attackers were quickly identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed. Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed, recovering from bullet wounds in hospital, has been charged with 59 offences.
In a strong defence of its presenter, a Nine spokesperson said: 'Georgie is one of the most experienced, well-known news presenters in Australia and delivered rolling coverage of a horrific, unprecedented terrorist attack with compassion and composure.'
Timeline of Broadcasts
Gardner was covering the weekend shift for Pete Overton when the story broke at approximately 6.40pm. Nine first reported the attack in a news bulletin at 6.57pm before transitioning to full rolling coverage at 7.36pm.
This made Nine the last of the major Australian broadcasters to initiate continuous live coverage. Rival network Seven began its live broadcast at 7.24pm, Sky News at 7pm, and the ABC commenced its live report at 7.30pm.
The network emphasised that Gardner was supported by a full team of reporters, producers, and crew both on the ground and in the studio. Georgie Gardner, a veteran who joined Nine in 2002, presents the 6pm bulletin on Friday and Saturday nights in Sydney and has previously co-hosted the Today show.
