Barry Hall has apologised for the vile comments he made on live radio about his fellow panellist’s heavily pregnant wife
Barry Hall has broken his silence and apologised for the vile comments he made on live radio about his fellow panellist’s heavily pregnant wife.
Hall and his Triple M colleagues were speaking about former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna’s partner, who recently underwent a medical procedure known as a ‘sweep’, which can induce labour.
‘The doctor was a good looking rooster and around 40 years of age. He did a sweep with his fingers and licked his fingers afterwards,’ Hall remarked on Friday.
The former spearhead forward was immediately sacked by the radio station. On Saturday, he apologised for what he said was a ‘silly thing to say’.
‘It is not a reflection of who I am or what my views are. I am a proud father and dedicated partner and have nothing but respect for women,’ Hall told The Sunday Telegraph.
Hall (pictured with partner Lauren Brant) and his Triple M colleagues were speaking about former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna’s wife on live radio on Friday
Hall led the Sydney Swans to the club’s first AFL premiership in over seven decades in 2005
‘I apologise to the Montagna family for any upset I have caused them and wish them all the best with the exciting arrival of their baby.
‘I also want to thank those for their support and am disappointed that I have been stood down because of this incident.’
Hall said he hopes hopes the football community and the wider public can forgive him.
His partner and mother of his young child, former Hi-5 star Lauren Brant, was swamped with hateful messages on Instagram following Hall’s comments.
‘The doctor was a good looking rooster and around 40 years of age. He did a sweep with his fingers and licked his fingers afterwards,’ Hall remarked
Most are too vulgar to publish and have since been deleted.
‘Isn’t Lauren Brant a lucky lady if that’s where Barry Hall’s mind goes regarding childbirth,’ one relatively inoffensive Twitter post read.
‘Any sympathy or elevation in popularity Barry Hall gained from I’m A Celebrity has just been destroyed,’ another said.
‘His true lack of respect for women is obvious to all. Not quite the perfect partner Lauren Brant tries to wh**e out to the public.’
Hall was commentating during Triple M’s pre-game show with St Kilda legend Leigh Montagna (pictured, right) when he made an offensive comment regarding Montagna’s wife Erinn (left)
Lauren Brant was stranded in Bali when Hall made the comments on live radio and was sacked
While Hall was roundly condemned for his comments, some jumped to his defence and argued he never should have been sacked by the radio station.
‘Everyone makes mistakes. Aussies turning into a bunch of sooks just looking to have a whinge. Chin up Baz,’ one said.
‘If anyone actually heard the Barry Hall incident, they’d realise it was nothing more than a poorly skewed joke,’ another argued.
‘Bad taste?! Perhaps. But a complete over-reaction to be fired on the spot.’
Others blamed Montagna for bringing the topic up on live radio and said the panellists who laughed at Hall’s ‘joke’ were equally at fault.
One said: ‘Barry Hall needed to be sacked, but what on earth was Montagna thinking talking about his wife’s, very intimate and personal, medical procedures on TV?!’
‘Isn’t Lauren Brant (pictured) a lucky lady if that’s where Barry Hall’s mind goes regarding childbirth,’ on person commented
Hall was sacked for comments made to St Kilda great Leigh Montagna about his wife Erinn (pictured)
Some jumped to the defence of Hall (his partner is pictured)and argued he never should have been sacked by the radio station
‘You’ve gotta question why Joey and the others laughed at Barry’s comment. Weird conversation to have on air,’ another wrote.
Triple M head of content Mike Fitzpatrick said Hall’s remarks were ‘unacceptable and inappropriate’.
‘The commentator was removed immediately from the broadcast and an apology was issued on air afterwards,’ he said in a statement.
‘Immediate action was taken with the termination of employment for one team member.’
The former Hi-5 star was swamped with hateful messages on Instagram, most of which are too vulgar to publish and have since been deleted. Others posted on Twitter are seen above
Some blamed Montagna for bringing the topic up on live radio and said the panellists who laughed were equally at fault
Hall met his partner while starring on the 2015 series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here
Barry Hall and his partner Lauren Brant welcomed son Miller last year (pictured)