‘Mortified’ Channel Seven reporter Matt Doran apologises to Adele for not listening to her new album before their $1million interview – but insists the singer DIDN’T storm out in anger
Channel Seven presenter Matt Doran has apologised to Adele for failing to listen to her new album before interviewing her in London two weeks ago.
Doran’s gaffe outraged her record label Sony, which refused to allow Seven to air the interview as part of its $1million package that also included broadcast rights to Adele’s One Night Only concert and her sit-down with Oprah Winfrey.
The Weekend Sunrise host, 37, told The Australian he was ‘mortified and unequivocally apologetic’ to the British singer, 33, over what happened.
Gaffe: Channel Seven presenter Matt Doran (right, with Monique Wright) has apologised to Adele for failing to listen to her new album before interviewing her in London two weeks ago
He explained that a problem with his emails meant he missed the ‘e-card’ link to the album, so he wasn’t able to listen to it after his flight from Sydney to London.
‘When I sat down to interview Adele, I was totally unaware that I’d been emailed a preview of her unreleased album,’ Doran said.
‘I have since discovered it was sent to me as an ‘e card’ link, which I somehow missed upon landing in London. It was an oversight but not a deliberate snub. This is the most important email I have ever missed.’
Saying sorry: The Weekend Sunrise host, 37, told The Australian he was ‘mortified and unequivocally apologetic’ to the British singer, 33, over what happened. Pictured: Adele during her interview with Oprah Winfrey for her One Night Only concert special
Reports surfaced on Sunday that an ‘offended’ Adele had ‘stormed out’ of the interview, which was filmed by Sony rather than a Seven crew, after Doran told her he’d only heard one song from latest release.
Sony responded by banning the network from airing any part of the interview during its One Night Only package, for which Seven had paid $1million for exclusive rights.
Seven executives were said to be furious and ‘suspended’ Doran for two weeks. He returned to to screens on Weekend Sunrise on Saturday.
Unprepared: The gaffe outraged her record label Sony, which refused to allow Seven to air the interview as part of its $1million package that also included rights to Adele’s One Night Only concert. Doran (right, with his crew) had been flown to London two weeks ago for the interview
However, the TV personality disputed this, saying the Someone Like You hitmaker ‘didn’t storm out’ and in fact agreed to speak to him for another nine minutes.
‘Adele didn’t storm out. In fact, it was the polar opposite. What was meant to be 20 minutes was extended to 29 minutes,’ he said.
‘The majority of the chat was about the album. I told her: “I’ve only had the privilege of hearing Easy on Me, but not the other tracks.” As part of a long discussion about the new album, I remark that it would be reductive to say it’s about heartbreak and divorce; instead, it’s about empowerment and hope.’
Doran said he’d ‘implored Sony to release the interview’ and also clarified he hadn’t been ‘suspended’ for the gaffe and was simply absent from Sunrise for one weekend.