Veteran Channel Nine personality Kerri-Anne Kennerley has publicly shamed a former network ‘major player’ for ‘vile’ behavior during an office party in the 90s.
The popular TV personality, now 64, claimed to recall a shocking incident involving a ‘serious major player (still working) in the media as we speak’ exposing his genitalia at an office party.
She described the alleged scandalous scene to News.com.au: ‘He literally pulled out his old fella and put it on the Channel 9 bar in front of the work experience girl.’
‘He literally pulled out his old fella in front of the work experience girl’: Kerri-Anne Kennerley alleges ‘vile’ Channel Nine abuse and sexual harassment in 90s by ‘serious major player’ who STILL works in media
The ‘Channel 9 bar’ Kerri-Anne was referring to is believed to be the main bar once situated outside former Nine chief executive Sam Chisholm’s office at the network’s Willoughby headquarters on Sydney’s north shore.
However, it has been reported every office in the headquarters had their own bar.
Kerri-Anne described the regular Friday night gatherings as ‘free for all’ parties and said she didn’t attend regularly because ‘I didn’t need a promotion that bad.’
While she claimed behaviour such as the described incident led to the man’s eventual firing from the network, due to ‘so many’ complaints, the former Mornings With Kerri-Anne host said he is ‘still working’ within the media.
‘I didn’t need a promotion that bad’: Kerri-Anne claimed she stayed clear of the ‘free for all’ parties, where the alleged indecent exposure occured
Kerri-Anne, whose memoir A Bold Life details much of the behaviour she witnessed, said chauvinism and discrimination was rife in the network and slammed Kerry Packer and other staff for their ‘vile’ verbal abuse.
She claimed executives would yell, scream and shout abusive language at staff when they weren’t happy to the point that she once thought a male executive was ‘going to have a heart attack, he was exploding so much.’
Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Channel Nine and Kerri-Anne for further comment on these allegations.
‘Still working in the media as we speak’: While she claimed the incident lead to the man’s eventual firing from the network, due to ‘so many’ complaints, the former Mornings With Kerri-Anne host said he is ‘still working’ within the media
In mid-November 2017, and in the context of the Harvey Weinstein allegations in the US, Nine Entertainment Corporation chief executive Hugh Marks said at a Screen Forever conference in Melbourne that ‘I’m sure there were problems 20 years ago, I’m sure there are things that will come out in the public that will talk to those problems’.
‘But from where I sit right now, I feel like we’ve got an excellent culture that supports equality.’
More recently, and in the context of the allegations against Don Burke, a spokesperson from Nine issued the following statement consistent with Mr Mark’s comments:
‘The current management of Nine is simply not in a position to comment on these specific allegations or on how these sorts of matters may have been dealt with in the past. The allegations are extremely serious; the behaviour described is completely unacceptable and would not be tolerated at Nine today.’
‘Nine has zero tolerance of sexual harassment and workplace bullying and no employee should be subjected to this kind of behaviour. Everyone is entitled to come to work confident that our workplace is safe, free from harassment and unacceptable behaviour will be dealt with effectively. Nine has robust policies and procedures for dealing with complaints and to support staff in such circumstances.’
‘He was exploding so much’: Kerri-Anne, whose memoir A Bold Life details much of the behaviour she witnessed, said chauvinism and discrimination was rife in the network and slammed Kerry Packer (pictured above) and other staff for their ‘vile’ verbal abuse
The recent claims come after the beloved presenter revealed she was once sexually harassed at a network party.
The TV host, actress and singer, 64, claimed a ‘really important person in the network’ acted inappropriately with her at a gathering between the 80s and 90s.
Speaking to MIX102.3 FM’s Jodie And Soda on Thursday, Kerri-Anne openly recalled the incident with the male.
‘It was a really, really, really important person in the network’: Kerri-Anne Kennerley claims she was sexually harassed and had her dress UNZIPPED at a party
‘I stood at a party once and the back of my dress was being unzipped, as I turned to swing around and hit said person I realised it was a really, really, really important person in the network,’ she said.
The Logie Hall of Fame inductee added that while she was shocked, she quickly put the ‘important person’ in his place.
‘I said ‘zip it up or I’ll deck ya’ simple as,’ Kerri-Anne told the radio hosts.
‘I said ‘zip it up or I’ll deck ya”: The Logie Hall of Fame inductee added while she was shocked, she quickly put the ‘important person’ in his place
The identity of her accused harasser was not disclosed on air, nor was the specific network she was referring to.
Kerri-Anne has worked for Nine, Seven and Ten over the years, with her most notable appearances occurring on the Nine Network.
Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Channel Seven, Channel Ten and Channel Nine for comment.
‘Sexism, the discrimination and appalling behaviour went on for years… the difference between the 80s and 90s was there were no laws, so it is fabulous that a lot of women are acknowledging this behaviour because who wanted to talk about it before… you more than likely got fired,’ she added.
‘Because who wanted to talk about it before… you more than likely got fired’: Kerri-Anne has opened up about her experiences with sexism, discrimination and appalling behavior in the industry within her new book, A Bold Life
Last month the world was left in shock when multiple allegations of rape and sexual allegations were made against Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
A little closer to home, Kerri-Anne claimed that women in the Australian media industry haven’t been immune to suffering similar types of sexual harassment.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at the Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Awards, the 64-year-old admitted there are ‘plenty of Harvey Weinsteins in Australia’.
‘Plenty of Harvey Weinsteins in Australia’: Speaking to Daily Mail Australia this week, Kerri-Anne Kennerley (left) admitted women in the local media industry have faced behaviour similar to that the disgraced Hollywood movie mogul (right) is accused of
Comparing some local media players she’s come in contact with to the ostracised American movie executive, Kerri-Anne said there are ‘Plenty of Harvey Weinsteins in Australia and there have been right through the 80s and 90s.’
The media doyenne went on to claim that she had personally experienced ‘many’ instances of sexism and harassment during her decades working in the industry.
‘During the 80s and 90s, discrimination, sexism, sexual harassment – absolutely rife and there were no laws,’ Kerri-Anne said.
Noting that her upcoming book, A Bold Life, details her own personal unsavoury experiences, the TV personality added: ‘It happened. Without question.’
‘It happened. Without question’: The TV personality added that sexual harassment and sexism was ‘rife’ in the media industry in the 80s and 90s and ‘probably still is’
She explained that in those days, there was limited protection for people who suffered unwanted attention in the workplace but things have changed legally since then.
‘Now there are actually laws and if someone behaves in a terrible fashion, there are people you can go to and report to and there are courts for that,’ she explained.
‘But there are laws now that weren’t then. So yes, it was rife and it still probably is.’
‘Now there are actually laws’: Kerri-Anne said there was limited legal protection for victims in those days
Kerri-Anne also weighed in on Australian journalist Tracey Spicer’s bid to ‘name and shame’ perpetrators of this type of behaviour in the Australian media industry.
‘If she wants to name and shame those guys, I hope she’s got her facts right because it could get very expensive for her if she hasn’t,’ Kerri-Anne noted.
‘You’ve got to be able to prove it.’
‘I hope she’s got her facts right’: Kerri-Anne also weighed in on journalist Tracey Spicer’s (pictured) bid to ‘name and shame’ local perpetrators