Tracy Grimshaw: What Don Burke said when cameras were off

On A Current Affair Monday, Tracy Grimshaw grilled Don Burke on sexual assault and harassment allegations spanning his 20-year TV career.

But it’s what the 70-year-old said, and how he acted while the cameras were off that’s truly stuck in Tracy’s memory.

Speaking to KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday, the journalist spoke candidly of the awkward, private exchange she had with her former colleague.

‘At the end, you sort of let it hang there, and Don just looked kind of uncomfortable – how did it finish when the cameras stopped rolling?’ Jackie O Henderson asked.

‘Look. It was polite, we were polite with each other all the way through,’ Tracy said.

‘[But] I just think he was a bit shell-shocked.’

The journalist has worked in the same circles as the Burke’s Backyard host for years, citing their working relationship as his reason for agreeing to the interview.

Face-to-face: Speaking to KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday, the journalist spoke candidly of the awkward, private exchange she had with her former colleague

After the tense interview wrapped, and they sat there awkwardly, Tracy revealed: ‘I think he probably thought [the interview] would have been more sympathetic.’

‘I think he probably would have expected that… But it couldn’t be more sympathetic. We had to go to the core of unpleasantries.’

No sympathy: ‘I just think he was a bit shell-shocked,’ Tracy admitted, ‘I think he probably thought [the interview] would have been more sympathetic’

‘He would have expected that’: ‘I think he probably would have expected that… But it couldn’t be more sympathetic. We had to go to the core of unpleasantries,’ she insisted

It’s clear Tracy’s conviction and commitment to getting the truth came as a bit of a surprise to Don. 

‘You know, that’s just what we had to do and I think he’s enough of a realist that he should have understood that,’ Tracy insisted.

And when the cameras turned off: ‘there wasn’t a lot to see that didn’t go to air, although he did speak to me privately,’ she revealed.

‘He should have understood that’: ‘You know, that’s just what we had to do and I think he’s enough of a realist that he should have understood that,’ she added

‘He alluded to grudges [in the interview] and he did give me more information privately about the alleged ‘grudges.”

‘And I said to him: ‘Don, if you have a defense [against these claims] you need to mount your defense now, now’s the opportunity to do it.’

 ‘And he said no, no I won’t do it publicly, and because he won’t do it publicly, all that stuff stayed off the record.’

Grudges: When the cameras were off: ‘He alluded to grudges [in the interview] and he did give me more information privately about the alleged ‘grudges”

‘You need to mount your defense’: ‘And I said to him: ‘Don, if you have a defense [against these claims] you need to mount your defense now, now’s the opportunity to do it’ – but he declined

She concluded: ‘You can read into that what you will, really.’

In Monday’s interview, Don admitted to an extraordinary list of personal failings but denied numerous sexual harassment allegations against him.

‘You can read into that what you will, really’: She concluded: ‘And he said no, no I won’t do it publicly, and because he won’t do it publicly, all that stuff stayed off the record’

The former host of Burke’s Backyard is accused by dozens of women of indecent assault and making lewd comments over his program’s 17-year run.

The 70-year-old admitted he was a terrifying boss, had multiple affairs, and claimed to suffer from Asperger’s.

However, he strenuously denied ‘all that sleazy sexual stuff’ and described his accusers as ‘malcontents’ who ‘bear grudges against me’. 

Accusations: The former host of Burke’s Backyard is accused by dozens of women of indecent assault and making lewd comments over his program’s 17-year run

Denied: The 70-year-old admitted he was a terrifying boss, had multiple affairs, and claimed to suffer from Asperger’s, however, he strenuously denied ‘all that sleazy sexual stuff’