Don Burke is understood to be hiding out in his multi-million dollar bushland retreat as countless former female colleagues come forward with sexual harassment claims against him.
The television icon, who hosted Bourke’s Backyard for 17 years, was nowhere to be seen as photographers staked out his home in Kenthurst, in Sydney’s north-west.
A woman was spotted getting out of her car and carrying a bag of groceries into the home through the gravel driveway; surrounded by overgrown shrubs and trees.
Don Burke is understood to be hiding out in a bushland retreat in Sydney’s north-west
The television icon was nowhere to be seen on Monday morning as news broke that countless former female colleagues had come forward with sexual harassment claims against him
A woman was spotted getting out of her car and carrying a bag of groceries into the home through the gravel driveway
Burke has been accused of sexually harassing numerous female colleagues, as well as groping a woman and a teenage girl. He is pictured with one of his accusers, Louise Langdon
Burke, 70, has firmly denied all allegations of sexual harassment and indecent assault against him, including claims he groped a woman and teenage girl.
The bombshell claims, made by the Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC, allege the host of Burke’s Backyard touched women inappropriately and made lewd comments.
The Order of Australia Medal recipient’s accusers included former researchers, producers, crew members, and TV hopefuls.
Burke described the women as ‘malcontents’ who ‘bear grudges against me’.
Former researcher Louise Langdon claimed he insisted she watch a video, which turned out to be disgusting footage of a woman having sex with a donkey.
The then-27-year-old claimed Burke gained pleasure from her shocked reaction to the video, which left her ‘speechless’ and ‘overcome’, she told the ABC.
Ms Langdon, now a psychologist in the US, claimed he later indecently assaulted her.
‘It was things like pulling at my bra strap, flicking a bra strap… pulling up my shirt to see what colour underwear I was wearing,’ she said.
The overgrown, isolated home where Burke is believed to be hiding in is located in Kenthurst
Fresh air, Bourke? A window at the home was left slightly open, but the blinds were closed – keeping preying eyes away
A woman wearing grey tracksuit pants and an aqua singlet was silent as she brought a bag of groceries into the home
Surrounded by bushland: Bourke’s suspected hide-out is in Sydney’s leafy north-west
A gravel driveway leading up to Bourke’s home showed no sign of movement
Burke, 70, has flatly denied all allegations of sexual harassment and indecent assault against him
Former researcher Louise Langdon claimed he insisted she watch a video, which turned out to be disgusting footage of a woman having sex with a donkey.
The then-27-year-old claimed Burke gained pleasure from her shocked reaction to the video, which left her ‘speechless’ and ‘overcome’, she told the ABC.
Ms Langdon, now a psychologist in the US, claimed he later indecently assaulted her.
‘It was things like pulling at my bra strap, flicking a bra strap… pulling up my shirt to see what colour underwear I was wearing,’ she said.
Another time he allegedly pushed his toe into her backside to check how firm it was, and with disappointment noted she ‘hadn’t been working out’.
On a trip to Alice Springs for Burke’s radio show, Ms Langdon claimed he joked it was so hot she should remove her clothing as they sat together on a shuttle bus.
‘He decided that it was okay for him to put his hands on my T-shirt and try and pull my bra strap, my bra, off and somehow remove my clothing. He was trying to take my top off,’ she said.
Burke denied any of these incidents occurred and said researchers were not taken on location for taping, and he found no record of her being on such a trip.
Louise Langdon (left) and Wendy Dent (right) both made sexual harrassment claims against Burke
Bridget Ninness (right), a former producer on Burke’s Backyard, described her boss as a ‘vile human being’