After being accused of sexual harassment by numerous women, Don Burke agreed to speak with A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw to defend himself against the allegations.
While he denied many of the claims against him, the disgraced gardener did admit to cheating on his wife Marea during Monday’s night’s interview.
Appearing on KIIS FM’s Kyle & Jackie O Show on Tuesday, Tracy, 57, revealed to the radio show that Marea told her before the chat that she knew Don would confess to the affairs.
‘They’re fine with it’: Speaking on KIIS FM’s Kyle & Jackie O Show on Tuesday, Tracy Grimshaw divulged that Don Burke’s wife Marea told her before Monday’s A Current Affair interview that she knew her husband would reveal his affairs but ‘they’ve sorted it out’
In the segment, host Kyle Sandilands questioned what Marea thought about the whole scandal.
‘She’s tough but fragile was my reading of Maria. But her health is particularly fragile,’ Tracy responded.
The journalist added: ‘She said to me before the interview went to air that he would say that he’s had affairs and that they’ve sorted it out. They’re fine with it.’
Asking the tough questions: On Monday night, Tracy (right) grilled Don Burke (left) about the sexual harassment allegations against him
‘He doesn’t have that now’: Tracy also explained a lot has changed in Don’s life since he was ‘the master of the universe’ while hosting Burke’s Backyard
Noting how much Don’s life had changed since his days hosting ratings juggernaut Burke’s Backyard, Tracy explained he was essentially his wife’s full-time carer now, after she battled aggressive breast cancer and a neurological condition.
‘Don is not the titan he was. These things happened in a time in his life when he was the master of the universe,’ Tracy said about the affairs.
‘He ran his company, he was a ratings king, he was subjected to adulation, he had a top rating show, everyone knew who he was, he had a lot of money.
‘He doesn’t have that now. He no longer has the show, he looks after his wife who has been terribly, terribly ill and his life has changed.’
‘She’s tough but fragile’: Tracy, who has previously interviewed Marea (left), said Don’s wife had been suffering health woes
In Monday’s night’s ACA interview, Don confessed to multiple affairs during his marriage to Marea and said it was the cheating that may have given him a unsavoury reputation.
‘It was a devastating time for me, I was so ashamed of myself, it was just terrible. Once she moved to a state of ill health I thought what stupid priorities I had in life,’ he said.
‘I have done a lot of things I am ashamed of. Like when I let the family down. But since Marea became ill, none of this has happened.
‘But that doesn’t change the fact that things happened back then. Now I am a different person.’
‘I have done a lot of things I am ashamed of’: The disgraced gardener admitted to cheating on his wife but is denying the sexual harassment allegations