Cricket Australia has confirmed it will not advertise with the Kyle and Jackie O Show’s parent company ARN amid growing backlash over their ‘tasteless’ interjection at Steve Smith’s press conference.
The sporting body confirmed the decision to news.com.au on Saturday after widespread outcry on social media over the stunt.
On Thursday night, Intern Pete – aka Kyle and Jackie O Show producer Peter Deppeler – crashed Steve’s emotional public apology to argue that the disgraced sportsman wasn’t as bad as reality TV ‘villains’ Davina Rankin and Dean Wells on Married At First Sight.
Withdraws plans: Cricket Australia confirms plans to never advertise with Kyle and Jackie O ‘s parent company ARN AGAIN after Intern Pete interrupted Steve Smith’s press conference with ‘tasteless’ stunt
‘What has actually been worse is what Dean and Davina did’: Bizarre moment Kyle and Jackie O’s Intern Pete hijacks Steve Smith tearful press conference with Married At First Sight comment
As a grave-faced Steve fronted the media in Sydney after being sent home from South Africa on Thursday, the embattled cricketer apologised repeatedly for his role in the ball-tampering scandal.
Answering questions from the reporter pack, Intern Pete interjected with a bizarre observation about the cricketing story.
‘Steve, I am going to take a different tack on this one – Intern Pete from the Kyle and Jackie O show here,’ Intern Pete began his monologue.
‘Steve, I am going to take a different tack on this one’: Answering questions from the reporter pack, Intern Pete interjected with a bizarre observation about the cricketing story
‘I want to let you know the perspective from non sports committing Australians, to see you upset tonight is very sad’: Intern Pete argued Australians felt for Steve
‘I want to let you know the perspective from non sports committing Australians, to see you upset tonight is very sad.
‘We asked our listeners, as I said we are not a sports show, we asked our listeners what we thought about this and we have … mate I’ve got to tell you hold your head up a little bit high for what you have done.
‘… Because what has actually been worse is what Dean and Davina did on Married At First Sight.’
Bizarre comment: Intern Pete argued that Steve’s actions hadn’t been as bad as Davina Rankin and Deal Wells cheating on Married At First Sight
Bad reaction: Viewers were quick to react to Intern Pete’s interjection at the press conference, questioning whether it was appropriate for him to make a joke at the sombre event
Inappropriate? ‘That Kyle and Jackie-O muppet at the steve smith press conference can f**k right off,’ one person wrote
As Steve appeared somewhat affronted by the strange comment, Intern Pete was cut off by event organisers.
The Kyle and Jackie O Show personality was making reference to Married At First Sight stars Dean Wells and Davina Rankin’s decision to ‘cheat’ on their TV spouses during an episode of the hit reality TV series.
Viewers were quick to react to Intern Pete’s interjection at the press conference, questioning whether it was appropriate for him to make a joke at the sombre event.
Not happy: ‘Kyle and Jackie O idiot – seriously??? You knob,’ another viewer tweeted.
‘A j**k of highest order’: Viewers didn’t hold back in condemning Intern Pete’s stunt
‘That Kyle and Jackie-O muppet at the steve smith press conference can f**k right off,’ one person wrote on Twitter.
‘Kyle and Jackie O idiot – seriously??? You knob,’ another viewer tweeted.
‘Kyle and Jackie O reporter did not just compare Steve Smith to MAFS?’
A spokesperson for Australian Radio Network, the parent company who owns KIIS FM, said Intern Pete had ‘genuinely felt for Steve’ and ‘tried to inject some warmth to what was a difficult situation’.
Done a number of stunts: The KIIS producer, who is styled as an intern by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, has engaged in his fair share of media stunts over the years
‘The ball tampering incident has evoked an extraordinary reaction from a broad range of Australian audiences, both those who follow cricket, and those who don’t know anything about the sport,’ the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Obviously the majority of those asking questions at the airport tonight were sports journalists, unlike Intern Pete, so Pete’s question was framed for those who don’t follow cricket.’
Intern Pete told news.com.au on Friday he had intended his comments to be a light hearted reprieve for Steve.
Disgraced: On Wednesday, captain Steve Smith and vice captain David Warner were slapped with 12 month bans from the sport for their role in ball tampering
Confused: ‘Kyle and Jackie O reporter did not just compare Steve Smith to MAFS?’
TV villain: Davina has been widely slammed for her role in the Married At First Sight cheating scandal
‘It wasn’t my intention to make light of his personal situation, but to show him that the millions of Australians who aren’t obsessed with cricket empathise with him,’ Pete said.
On Wednesday, captain Steve Smith and vice captain David Warner were slapped with 12 month bans from the sport for their role in cheating during the third Test against South Africa.
An investigation by Cricket Australia found Steve knew of David’s cheating plan, the vice captain getting player Cameron Bancroft, who landed a nine month ban, to tamper with a ball using sand paper during a game on Saturday.
Controversial: Kyle and Jackie O are famous for their shock jock antics
The KIIS producer, who is styled as an intern by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson, has engaged in his fair share of media stunts over the years.
At last year’s Logies Intern Pete caused a stir when he rocked up to the red carpet wearing gold body paint accompanied by little people.
He was also forced to apologise after falsely claiming Neighbours star Stefan Dennis had projectile vomited into a gutter outside a Logies after party.
Last month, Kyle and Jackie O got a naked Intern Pete to crash breakfast radio rivals The Grill Team’s live broadcast.
Controversial: At last year’s Logies Intern Pete caused a stir when he rocked up to the red carpet wearing gold body paint accompanied by little people