Young gun Channel Nine reporter Seb Costello is expected to return to TV screens this week after he mysteriously went on leave about three weeks ago.
Nine said the Europe correspondent – who vanished from the airwaves after covering the Barcelona terrorist attacks – will be back ‘this week, as planned’.
The disappearance of Costello, 30, from the airwaves sparked whispers in media circles and left viewers wondering ‘where is Seb?’ on social media.
Nine’s Europe correspondent Seb Costello (pictured) will return to air this week after the network said he went on leave last month
Costello (pictured with media personality Eddie McGuire) is seen as an up-and-comer at the Nine Network
Nine has threatened legal action about any ‘false or defamatory’ reports about Costello, who is the son of Nine’s chairman, the former Federal Treasurer Peter Costello.
When Daily Mail Australia contacted Nine to ask about a previous report which claimed that Costello had missed live crosses – including a Today Show cross that had purportedly been promoted on air – network spokesman Terry Stuart pinned the blame on rival network Channel Seven.
‘Your suggestion that there was a promo that Seb Costello would be crossing to the Today show is false. There was no such promo,’ Mr Stuart said. ‘We are aware that Channel Seven has been calling journalists telling them this…but (the) fact is, there was no such promo.’ Seven was approached for comment.
Meantime, Costello has not been on air for close to three weeks, with previous Europe correspondent Tom Steinfort instead flying over from Sydney to hold the fort in London.
Seb Costello (left) is the son of former Federal Treasurer and Nine chairman Peter Costello
Costello was recently posted to the network’s London bureau before going on leave
A sample of some of the social media messages sent to Seb Costello (above)
This week Steinfort covered a series of stories from the network’s London bureau, including Prince George’s first day at school and the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death.
Meantime, viewers flooded social media with questions and well wishes for the young reporter.
‘Hey mate, hope you are OK. If you need to, please remember your family and friends are there for you no matter what,’ one Twitter user said.
‘Hey man, are you still alive?’ a friend asked.
‘Seb where are you? #9news ‘ tweeted another.
Nine previously told other media Costello had ‘worked tirelessly over the last two weeks without a day off’ before taking leave.
Costello also recently covered Cassie Sainsbury’s arrest in Bogota, Colombia.