Molly Meldrum’s good friend Paige McGinley has insisted that the music legend is well supported by those who love and care for him.
McGinley, who is one of the 80-year-old’s four caregivers and has known the former Countdown host since 1992, tells The Age that Meldrum, has a ‘coordinated and dedicated support system in place’.
She insists the ailing television star is ‘loved and supported’ by a tightknit group close to him.
It comes after it emerged that Meldrum was seated directly next to the 81-year old mother of his ‘assistant’ when he urinated on the floor at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena last Wednesday night.
New footage posted to Instagram by Meldrum’s own assistant, Alan Evers-Buckland, shows Meldrum seated beside Alan’s mum Joan in a section hidden largely from the rest the crowd seated on the floor.
Molly Meldrum’s good friend Paige McGinley has insisted that the music legend is well supported by those who love and care for him. Molly is pictured
His boyfriend Yan Wongngam can be seen standing directly to his left and a woman Mr Evers-Buckland claims is a trained paramedic to Meldrum’s right.
The footage was posted to Instagram by Mr Evers-Buckland following the Rod Stewart gig.
On Tuesday, Mr Evers-Buckland released a statement declaring Meldrum had a ‘dedicated and wonderful team of people who care for Molly’.
‘I took Molly along with my mother and a friend who helps with Molly to the Rod Stewart concert last week,’ he stated.
‘Unfortunately, you can’t control everything or see everything no matter how dedicated you are or vigilant you are.
Meldrum (second from right) is seated next to 81-year old Joan Evers-Buckland, who was at her first-ever gig at Rod Laver. She is the mother of Meldrum’s ‘assistant’ Alan Evers-Buckland
A witness told Daily Mail Australia Meldrum urinated on the floor but no one rushed to clean it up. Joan Evers-Buckland is seated next to him on the left
Alan Evers-Buckland (pictured) refused to answer questions about Molly Meldrum’s care when asked by Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday
‘Molly is embarrassed and of course sorry. He has given so much. He needs our love and support.’
Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Evers-Buckland again on Wednesday amid concern by Meldrum’s fans about the level of care his client was receiving.
Entertainment commentator Peter Ford also raised concerns the TV legend has not been adequately supervised since he fell from a ladder in 2011 and suffered head injuries.
Mr Evers-Buckland said the woman standing beside Meldrum was ‘one of his helpers’ and a paramedic.
‘She’s someone qualified to help us. She just comes with us. She just helps us,’ he said.
Mr Evers-Buckland took his 81-year old mum to the Rod Stewart show with Molly Meldrum, posting to social media after the now infamous gig
Alan Evers-Buckland posted this image of Meldrum with pop icon Cyndi Lauper following the gig where Meldrum urinated on the floor next to his mum
Molly Meldrum and his ‘paramedic helper’ while at Melbourne’s Guns N Roses gig at the MCG
The woman features in various photos with Meldrum at a Guns N Roses gig posted to social media by Mr Evers-Buckland.
Taking to social media after the Rod Stewart gig, Mr Evers-Buckland said the aging rocker had invited he and his mother to dinner.
‘My Mum is 81 & doesn’t go to gigs that often … But last night Joan came with us to Rod Stewart. Rod was so generous & respectful of my mum Rod invited us to Dinner. Not bad for her 1st trip to Rod Laver,’ he posted alongside photos of his mum and Meldrum after the show.
Asked about the firestorm of criticism aimed by Australians at Meldrum’s carers, Mr Evers-Buckland refused to comment.
‘You’ve got out statement and that’s where it stands. I’m not going to go anymore into it … I’m not interested in giving anymore,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
A quick look at Mr Evers-Buckland’s Instagram page suggested he had not been shy about sharing information with the general public about Meldrum, who turned 80 in January.
The music manager, who lists clients such as singers Abbey Stone and Charlie Musslewhite and ‘tv personality’ Gavin Wood, has posted numerous images of Meldrum on his Instagram page – including random shots showing off the insides of his client’s home.
One image shows Meldrum’s ‘paramedic helper’ enjoying a Guns N Roses gig by his side.
Others show Meldrum with members of Mr Evers-Buckland’s family members.
Alan Evers-Buckland (right) has posted many intimate photos of Meldrum (centre with boyfriend Yan Wongngam) over the past three years
Alan Evers-Buckland lists clients such as singers Abbey Stone and Charlie Musslewhite and tv personality Gavin Wood
A shot of Molly Meldrum’s home as posted by Alan Evers-Buckland to his Instagram page
In his statement, Mr Evers-Buckland said despite being all around him, the team looking after Meldrum was unaware of the incident until Tuesday morning and didn’t see it coming.
‘It was 20 seconds in four hours, you can’t be watching him exactly for the whole time,’ he said.
‘He has a fantastic team… how much safer can we keep him? You can only plan for so many things and we never saw this coming.’
The alarming episode is the latest in a string of increasingly bizarre antics by Meldrum, who was a mainstay on Australian TV for decades and friends to some of the biggest names in music.
The vile act came just months after Meldrum dropped his pants and ‘mooned’ the crowd at a Sir Elton John performance.
Molly Meldrum was captured on film exposing himself at Rod Stewart’s concert in Melbourne last week
Molly Meldrum has been filmed exposing his privates – just weeks after ‘mooning’ thousands of people (pictured) at Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Melbourne
Footage resurfaced in the days that followed showing Meldrum performing the same bum-barring antics in front of spectators at the 2022 ChillOut Festival in Daylesford, Victoria.
While Meldrum’s poor behaviour at the Sir Elton John gig was largely forgiven by the Australian public, there have been numerous calls for his cancellation in the wake of the Rod Stewart show.
‘He needs to be banned for attending any concert,’ one person posted online.
‘He should be barred and in a nursing home so sad but it’s gotta stop,’ another stated.
Many Australians expressed deep concern over the level and type of care Meldrum was receiving.
‘Instead of mocking and judging, have a bit of understanding and concern. Clearly Molly is suffering from something,’ a person posted.
‘His carer should have a better hold on him (not that it’s easy). It’s very sad that after all Molly was remembered for, will now be marked by these last few incidents, which is obviously out of his control. Let’s not forget and have a heart.’
‘He needs professional help, assessing, correct care & support, not ridiculing, humiliation & embarrassment,’ another wrote.
Friends of Meldrum have told Daily Mail Australia they are deeply worried about the fallen rock guru.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk