Alex Cullen, who had become a staple on the Today show over the past five years, recently found himself at the centre of a media storm. The storm brewed after he accepted a $50,000 gift from Adrian Portelli, a billionaire known for his flamboyant lifestyle and, until recently, the nickname ‘Lambo man.’
Portelli, eager to shed this moniker, offered a hefty sum to any journalist or presenter who would call him ‘McLaren Man’ on air. Cullen took up the challenge, and the subsequent bank transfer from Portelli to Cullen was made public.
The fallout from this incident was immediate and severe. Nine, the network behind the Today show, expressed their disapproval through a spokesperson, stating that they were taking the matter ‘extremely seriously’ and had taken ‘appropriate action,’ including the return of the funds. Cullen agreed to stand down during the review process, but the resolution was his eventual removal from the network.
In the aftermath, Cullen broke his silence with a heartfelt social media post on Sunday, accompanied by a photo of him and his young son, Max.
‘A quick note from me,’ he wrote, pairing the post with a photo of himself and his three-year-old son, Max.
‘This has been a very difficult time and I just want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who reached out. It means the world to me and my young family. I will miss my colleagues at Today and wish them the best. Thank you again and I look forward to whatever comes next.’
Meanwhile, days before Cullen broke his silence with a social media post, Portelli clarified that the TV presenter had intended to donate the money to charity, and subsequently made donations to the Salvation Army and RSPCA, a not-for-profit organisation in Australia that cares for animals across the state, on Cullen’s behalf.
‘Alex Cullen… on behalf of you, mate, $25,000 to the Salvation Army and $25,000 to the RSPCA,’ he began his post, accompanied by screenshots of the transfers to the two organisations.
‘I have kept pretty quiet about what unfolded with Alex, but even before he had heard from Ch9, we had a conversation where he expressed his desire to donate the money. That speaks volumes about his character.’
Closing his post, he commended Cullen and invited him for a collaboration, saying, ‘Alex, you are an absolute gentleman. If Ch9 lets you go (though I hope they don’t!), I would be more than happy to collaborate with you on something. True class, mate!’
Our YourLifeChoices readers, who have witnessed changes in the media landscape over the years, we invite you to share your thoughts on this matter in the comments section.
Also read: Reporter suspended for allegedly pocketing $50,000 from wealthy tycoon
Absolutely ridiculous with letting Alex go. I really didn’t like him in the beginning, but his knowledge of sport and other things brought me around. Really Adrian should not have deposited it into Alex’s account, but asked which charities to donate to. I try to watch Today and only leave it on for maybe 10 minutes or so, but some of the new personalities do nothing for me so I switch channels or watch you tube.