Westacott’s a “fuc*ing idiot”: Gyngell

29Nov07

Source: MediaSpy

Nine Network chief David Gyngell has labelled his own news boss “a f…ing idiot” for telling dumped reporter Christine Spiteri she would be better off at SBS.

Sources yesterday confirmed that Gyngell blasted news chief John Westacott for
telling the Maltese reporter that “with a surname like Spiteri you
should try SBS” as he told her her contract would not be renewed -
while she was on maternity leave.

As Spiteri prepared to turn to the courts to fight her axing, Nine
sources yesterday accused her of “mischief-making”, saying she was
“bitter to the core” after being denied her dream role of news
presenter.

“She’s no newsreader. Pregnant or not, she wasn’t good enough for a
newsreading role,” a management source said yesterday. The former Los
Angeles correspondent is due to return to Nine when her year’s
maternity leave ends in January.

It is understood she has been offered either her former LA role or a
role in the Sydney newsroom until her contract expires in March.

While Gyngell yesterday blasted Westacott over his SBS comment, he is believed to have backed his decision.

“Gyngell is trying to put an end to all this business of people
negotiating their contracts through fear – he’s drawing a line in the
sand,” the source said.

Hiring the same lawyer who acted for former Nine news chief Mark Llewellyn – the man who penned the infamous affidavit in which then-CEO Eddie McGuire talked of “boning” Jessica Rowe – Spiteri is said to be furious that she has again been passed over.

“Christine would like to have a career at Channel 9. She’s been
there for 13 years and it’s where she sees her future,” a source close
to the 40-year-old first-time mother said.

It is understood the way in which Nine management allegedly
“sabotaged” Spiteri’s Los Angeles posting to make way for Gyngell’s
wife Leila McKinnon will be part of Spiteri’s legal argument.

Nine claims it was Spiteri who cut short her LA posting to come back
to Sydney with husband Matt, a model, to give birth to baby son Ethan
in March.

Spiteri refused to comment yesterday, however her lawyer John Laxon said he would be “communicating with Channel 9 in the very near future”.

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