Royal Watch News

Royal hoax DJs fired from Australian radio show

Jan 28, 2013, 12:02 GMT

Duchess Catherine and Prince William

The two Australian DJs who made the royal hoax call last year have been fired from their radio show.

2Day FM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian caused controversy after nurse Jacinta Saldanha committed suicide following their prank call to the King Edward VII hospital in London regarding the state of Britain's Duchess Catherine, who was being treated for acute morning sickness during her pregnancy.

Over the weekend the station's parent company Southern Cross Austereo announced on Facebook that an 'interactive' show called 'The Bump' would replace their 'Hot 30' show, but they are still employed by the radio station and are currently on leave.

However, 'Hot 30' producers Ben Harlem and Emily Mills are seen posing in a photo on Twitter promoting the new show, suggesting they too are taking part in it alongside new presenter Angus O'Loughlin.

The hoax call involved Jacintha transferring the DJs - who were posing as Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales - to a colleague, who then gave intimate details about the condition of the Duchess of Cambridge and her treatment.

Mother-of-two Jacintha was then found hanging in her nurses' room at the hospital's accommodation block several days later.

Both Mel and Michael have received death threats and verbal abuse since the incident, and the pair made a tearful public apology on TV shortly after.

Mel said at the time: 'There is not a minute that goes by where we don't think about her [Jacintha's] family and what they must be going through. The thought that we may have played a part in that is gut wrenching.

'I have thought about this a million times in my head, that I just wanted to reach out to [Jacintha's family] and just give them a big hug and say sorry. I hope they are OK, I really do.'

Michael added: 'I just hope that they get the love, the support, the care that they need.'