Duchess of Cambridge hoax call DJs Michael Christian and Mel Grieg have show axed by Australia's 2DayFm
Southern Cross Austereo has replaced Christian and Greig's time slot with a new show
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Your support makes all the difference.The Australian DJs behind a prank phone call to the Duchess of Cambridge’s hospital ward last December have had their show axed.
2DayFm temporarily suspended the show presented by Michael Christian and Mel Grieg following the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who forwarded the call through to the Duchess of Cambridge’s room at the King Edward VII hospital.
But it was confirmed today that the station will not be bringing the show back in its original form, with a new programme hosted by a different DJ taking its nightly slot.
Southern Cross Austereo, which owns 2Day FM, said while Christian and Greig's time slot had been replaced with a new show, both remain employed by the station but are on leave.
Ms Saldanha was found hanged in her apartment in the hospital’s nurse’s quarters three days after Michael Christian and Mel Grieg called pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles.
She forwarded the call to the Duchess’ room, where another nurse revealed personal information about the Duchess’ acute morning sickness.
The prank call sparked international outrage against the station, which failed to gain consent for the nurses voices to be used before putting the prank call on air.
In a statement, Southern Cross Austereo’s chief executive Rhys Holleran said: “We look forward to Mel (Greig) and MC (Christian) returning to work when the time is right, in roles that make full use of their talents – we will discuss future roles with them when they are ready,“
In December London’s Metropolitan Police Force asked the Crown Prosecution Service to decide if any criminal offence had been committed in connection with the death of Saldanha.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority also launched an investigation into whether 2Day FM had breached the Commercial Radio Code of Practice in making the prank call.
ACMA could revoke the station's licence or to impose conditions on how it operates if it finds 2Day FM has broken its Code of Practice.
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