Channel Nine is investigating claims of a heated on-set incident between star news presenter Georgie Gardner and staff last month.
It’s alleged the confrontation took place off air after Gardner, 54, finished reading the Sydney news bulletin.
A complaint has been made by a young staff member and Nine has launched an internal investigation, according to The Sunday Telegraph.
‘It is the talk of the newsroom at the moment,’ an insider told the publication.
Gardner did not appear on the program for two weeks after the alleged incident but her absence was unrelated and classed as ‘scheduled leave’.
‘People were upset by the incident, but when they thought she had been stood aside for a few weeks, could stomach it,’ an insider said.
Gardner returned to her newsreader schedule on September 13 and was presenting on Friday and Saturday night.
Nine did not comment on the allegation when contacted by The Sunday Telegraph, and instead said in a statement: ‘Georgie Gardner is a highly regarded longstanding member of our Nine News team. We offer no further comment.’
Channel Nine is investigating an alleged incident between news presenter Georgie Gardner (pictured), 54, and a young staff member on set last month
Daily Mail Australia has also contacted Nine for comment.
Gardner is a presenter at Nine News in Sydney and reads the 6pm bulletin on Friday and Saturday nights.
Joining the network in 2002, Gardner began her time at Nine as a weather presenter and hosting afternoon updates.
In 2006, she replaced Leila McKinnon as presenter for National Nine News Morning Edition and became news presenter on the Today show for eight years.
Gardner was also appointed weekend presenter for the 6pm news in 2009 while still co-hosting the Today show.
She left her role at Today in 2014 to spend more time with family but continued occasional reporting for 60 Minutes and 9News.
The alleged occurrence took place off air but still on set after Gardner (pictured last month) finished reading the Sydney news bulletin
A complaint has been made by a young staff member and Nine has launched an internal investigation on the matter. Pictured: Channel Nine headquarters in Sydney
The blonde presenter then replaced Lisa Wilkinson on the Today show in 2018 and sat alongside Karl Stefanovic on the Channel Nine breakfast show for one year.
She then co-hosted the show with Deborah Knight in 2019.
Last year, Gardner opened up about why her co-hosting role alongside Karl Stefanovic didn’t work out.
Speaking on the It’s All Her podcast, Gardner shared details about the job, saying that it was a ‘privilege’ to take on the role.
But with issues surrounding Stefanovic’s very public divorce from ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn, as well as his relationship with now-wife Jasmine Yarbrough, things started taking a toll inside the studio.
‘Unfortunately things that were out of my control meant that it was a short-lived stint,’ she said.
‘I had a year hosting with Karl, which was a lot of fun. But it was also a period in his personal life where there was a lot going on. And there was a lot of noise.
‘We were never sort of able to get traction because there was always so much speculation about his private life. It was really tough for him. And it was tough for us.’
The journalist then quashed previous reports of the pair’s tense relationship.
‘We really got on well and really liked each other and had, it was a great chemistry actually,’ she continued.
‘Anyway, one thing led to another he was moved off the show. In fact, they moved everyone off, which was very, very tricky for me.’
Stefanovic was axed from the Today show before Deborah Knight moved in alongside Gardner in 2019.
But after giving the show a complete overhaul and bringing in new hosts, Gardner hinted that the breakfast show was still struggling and she decided to step down from the role.
‘It got to a point where I could see it just wasn’t going to work. So I just gracefully exited stage left and just continued on with my news, which is what I’m still doing today,’ Gardner added.
Joining the network in 2002, Gardner began her time at Nine as a weather presenter and hosting afternoon updates
Gardner was confirmed as the highly anticipated replacement for Lisa Wilkinson six years ago.
But the stint alongside Stefanovic was short-lived, with The Sunday Telegraph claiming at the time the pair ‘cannot stand one another’.
According to the publication, Gardner only agreed to do the Channel Nine break show ‘after having been assured she would only have to do one year with Karl,’ however a network spokesperson has dismissed the report as ‘rubbish.’
Stefanovic viewed Georgie as ‘humourless’, while she in turn sees him as having an ‘expansive ego’, News Corp claimed.
Gardner is said to have only agreed to take on the Today hosting gig on the condition that she wouldn’t have to work with Karl for long.
‘She signed on to the show after having been assured she would only have to do one year with Karl,’ an anonymous senior executive reportedly told The Sunday Telegraph at the time.
‘After that, he’s gone and Nine will recast and she will get to work with someone else.’
Stefanovic ‘agreed’ to Gardner’s conditions because he has been ‘agitating’ to get off Today for a while, the story claimed.
However, a Channel Nine representative said there is no truth to the report, telling Daily Mail Australia: ‘That is rubbish.’
Gardner was confirmed as the highly anticipated replacement for Lisa Wilkinson on the Today show six years ago. But the stint alongside Karl Stefanovic Stefanovic (left) was short-lived
