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Woman of the Hour: The haunting true story of the Seventies serial killer invited on primetime TV

Published

4 hours ago

October 18, 2024

Woman of the Hour: The haunting true story of the Seventies serial killer invited on primetime TV

In 1978, a serial killer appeared on American television. No disguise. No alias. No remorse, apparently. Rodney Alcala was one of three eligible bachelors to appear on The Dating Game – something like the UK’s Blind Date, in which female contestants quiz single men from behind a partition before choosing one to take them out. That night, the serial killer won.

Rodney Alcala was ultimately convicted of murdering seven women and girls in heinous and brutal ways that involved strangulation and rape – but not before he managed to woo contestant Cheryl Bradshaw on live TV. The story of Bradshaw, Alcala, and his victims is the focus of Netflix’s latest true crime endeavour Woman of the Hour, a mostly fictionalised account of the murders, starring Anna Kendrick (in her directorial debut) as Bradshaw and Daniel Zovatto as Alcala.

Telling Alcala’s story through the perspective of his victims, the film paints an infuriating and tragic picture of a society that turned a blind eye to a monster in its midst – a tragedy unfolding in slow motion that was preventable every step of the way. Really, it’s a small wonder that Netflix hadn’t adapted this story sooner, so grim and shocking are its details.

Alcala was a fine arts student at UCLA when he first appeared on the police radar, having sexually assaulted eight-year-old Tali Shapiro in September 1968. Shapiro had been walking to school on a sunny day in Hollywood when Alcala approached her in his car, tricking her into getting into the vehicle under the guise of knowing her parents. From there, he drove Shapiro to his apartment, where Alcala said he wanted to show her a “beautiful picture”. Hours later, the police found Shapiro in the kitchen, a puddle of blood around her “white Mary Janes” next to a metal bar the district attorney later said Alcala had used to try to strangle her.

It was a miracle that Shapiro was alive – or that she had been found at all. A good Samaritan had noticed Alcala’s beige-coloured car tailing the little girl and called it in to the police who arrived at his house. “I said, ‘Police officer. Open the door. I need to talk to you,’” remembered Chris Camacho, the former LAPD officer who responded to the call. “This male appeared at the door. I will always remember that face at that door: very evil face. And he says, ‘I’m in the shower. I got to get dressed.’ And I told him, ‘OK, you got 10 seconds.’ … Finally, I kicked the door in. The image will be with me forever. We could see in the kitchen that there was a body on the floor, a lot of blood.”

In that time, Alcala escaped out the back door, leaving the investigating officers scrambling to find him. They did, however, learn his identity through an ID card he left behind. At his apartment, they also found photographic equipment and several photos of young girls; they would later learn that Alcala lured women by offering to take their picture.

In 1969, Alcala – who by then had moved to New York – was put on the FBI’s most wanted list. There in the city, he got into the NYU film school – a stint that Woman of the Hour mentions in passing, together with the fact he once attended a class with filmmaker and child rapist Roman Polanski. He then moved to New Hampshire where he worked as a counsellor at an arts and drama camp for girls.

It was thanks to the most wanted list that he was finally apprehended. Two girls from the camp reported him, having recognised his photo from the list taped up at their local post office. From there, Alcala was turned over to the police back in LA – where, in good news for him, Shapiro’s family no longer lived. They did not wish to return to make their daughter testify. With no main witness for the case, prosecutors were forced to offer Alcala a deal. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of child molestation and registered as a sex offender, before being paroled after just 34 months in prison.

Throughout the Seventies, Alcala would lure women by offering to take their photograph (Orange County District Attorney’s Office)

It wasn’t long before Alcala resumed his life as normal. He got a job at the Los Angeles Times as a typesetter and worked as a wedding photographer. Throughout all of this, he was indeed a registered sex offender – not that anyone bothered to check. The same went for the producers at The Dating Game; Alcala was selected because he was tall, handsome, and charming.

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The footage of that 1978 episode is eerie to watch now. Alcala is introduced as Bachelor No 1: a beaming, boisterous young man grinning ear-to-ear in a brown bell bottom suit and a butterfly collar shirt. Host Jim Lange describes him to the audience as a “successful photographer who got his start when his father found him in the dark room at the age of 13 – fully developed”. The Dating Game was a show that trafficked heavily in sexual innuendo, and Alcala was happy to oblige.

While the Netflix film shows Cheryl going off-script to ask feminist questions of her suitors, the reality was more typical of the usual sexist fodder. Throughout the episode, Alcala likens himself to a banana (“peel me”), says his favourite time of the day is after dark (“Night time is really where it gets good”) and roleplays as a grunting, gurning “dirty old man” (in the film, he plays the part of a horny teacher). What does remain the same in the film and the real footage, though, is the palpable charm radiating off this man who by then had murdered and raped several women.

Eight-year-old Tali Shapiro was among Alcala’s known first victims (Orange County District Attorney’s Office)

“We’re going to have a great time together, Sheryl,” Alcala says at one point, a terrifying promise that almost comes to fruition when she selects him as the winner. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he kisses her on the cheek as the host reads aloud their prize. Thankfully, the date – of which a fictional version is shown in the Netflix film, tense and terrifying – never actually happened. Bradshaw backed out of the agreement reportedly because she found Alcala “creepy”.

A year after his stint on The Dating Game, Alcala targeted 12-year-old Robin Christine Samsoe, who had been cycling from her ballet studio to the beach when he stopped her and her friend Bridget, asking to take their photo. A chance encounter with Bridget’s older neighbour temporarily scared him off, but he returned when Robin was alone. Twelve days later, her remains were found by a forest service worker. A kitchen knife was discovered nearby. She was unrecognisable.

Bridget’s description of Alcala allowed the police to draw up a composite sketch, which was recognised by Alcala’s parole officer who contacted the detectives in charge. At the time, Alcala was living with his mother in Monterey Park, walking distance from where Robin’s remains had been found. On 24 July, he was charged with her kidnap and murder.

I was going to shoot him right between the eyes if I could’ve gotten a shot at him

Robin Samsoe’s mother

During their investigation, the police uncovered a storage locker in Seattle. Inside they found the “mother lode”, as Detective Pat Ellis told CBS News. There were “hundreds if not thousands” of pictures of women in “positions of supreme vulnerability”. Many appeared to be very young. Also inside the locker was a tiny silk bag filled with earrings, including one pair of gold ball studs that Robin’s mother recognised as having been leant to her daughter. It was sufficient evidence to prosecute, though Alcala was uncooperative. During interviews with the police, as reported by The New York Times, Alcala would try to agitate investigators, pretending to be asleep and tracing his finger along photographs of the victims.

In 1980, he was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and murder of Robin Samsoe. What followed was a legal back-and-forth driven by Alcala from behind bars. Four years after the sentencing, his conviction was reversed on the basis that the jury and the case had been tainted by the introduction of his previous crimes. A new trial was granted in 1986 but gave rise to the same result: he was sentenced to death. In 2003, a federal appeals court overturned the sentence once again, granting him a third and final trial.

It was while preparing for that third prosecution that investigators realised the full scale of Alcala’s terror. With new evidence and DNA science, he was linked to four other homicides, leading to murder charges of Jill Barcomb, an 18-year-old runaway who was found in 1977; Georgia Wixted, 27, a nurse bludgeoned to death in Malibu that same year; Charlotte Lamb, 31, found in the laundry room of her apartment complex in 1978 (the same year he went on The Dating Game); and Jill Parenteau, 21, killed in her Burbank apartment in 1979.

After evading police after attacking Tali Shapiro in 1968, Alcala was put on the FBI most wanted list (FBI)

In 2010, he stood trial on five joined charges of murder, including Samsoe. Bizarrely, Alcala chose to act as his own attorney and took the stand in his own defence – which included calling Samsoe’s mother to the stand. “That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my life – having him ask me questions,” she told CBS News, confessing that she had brought a gun to court. “I was going to shoot him right between the eyes if I could’ve gotten a shot at him.”

Alcala also showed the jury a portion of his appearance on The Dating Game in an attempt to prove that the earrings found in his Seattle locker were his, not Samsoe’s. The footage was too blurry to know for certain. Bachelor No 2 on the same episode of The Dating Game – named Jed Mills – said that he did not recall as much. “I had never seen a man with an earring in his ear,” said Mills, who added that he was “surprised” that Alcala won: “I didn’t believe his smile. I didn’t believe his charm and I didn’t like him.”

Less than two days of deliberation later, the jury found Alcala guilty on all five counts of first-degree murder. Two years later, Alcala was extradited to New York where he pleaded guilty to the murders of flight attendant Cornelia M Crilley and musician Ellen Jane Hover in 1971 and 1977, respectively. It was the first time in his criminal history that he actually confessed to a killing. In 2013, he was sentenced to 25 years to life – mostly symbolic given he was already on death row in San Quentin. (The death penalty has not been an option in the state of New York since 2007). At the sentencing, Justice Bonnie G Wittner broke down in tears as Alcala’s heinous crimes were recalled. “This kind of case is something I’ve never experienced, hope to never again,” she said.

In 2013, Alcala was found guilty of two further murders in New York: Ellen Jane Hover in 1977 and Cornelia M Criley in 1971 (NYPD)

In 2016, prosecutors in Wyoming charged Alcala with another murder, that of Christine Ruth Thornton. Thornton was 28 years old and six months pregnant when she disappeared in 1978. Her body wasn’t found until 1982. It’s Thornton who is seen at the beginning of Netflix’s film confiding in Alcala shortly before he assaults and murders her. In the end, Alcala, then 73 years old, was deemed too sick to be extradited to Wyoming to face the charge.

Alcala died aged 77 of natural causes while awaiting execution on 24 July 2021. “The planet is a better place without him, that’s for sure,” said Shapiro at the time, adding that she is not defined by the attack. “I know it’s awful what happened to me, but I’ve never identified with it,” she told The New York Times. “I’ve moved on with my life, so this doesn’t really affect me. It’s a long time coming, but he’s got his karma.”

Ultimately, Alcala was convicted of the murders of seven women and girls – though the real number is likely much higher. Some authorities estimate as many as 130. Jeff Sheaman, an investigator who interviewed Alcala in 2016 while investigating Thornton’s disappearance, said of his death: “He’s where he needs to be, and I’m sure that’s in hell.”

‘Woman of the Hour’ is now on Netflix

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I’m a Celebrity line-up rumours ahead of 2024 launch episode

Published

11 mins ago

October 18, 2024

NewsAdmin

I’m a Celebrity: Who is on the line-up for 2024 series

As the end of the year approaches, another batch of stars are set to enter the I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! jungle.

The ITV reality show has been on the air since 2000, with winners including Tony Blackburn, Stacey Solomon, Jill Scott and last year’s victor Sam Thompson.

In recent years, I’m a Celebrity has been plagued with controversy for signing up two controversial politicians: former health secretary Matt Hancock in 2022 and Nigel Farage in 2023, which appeared to lead to a downturn in ratings.

Currently, it seems like bosses don’t have anyone quite so contentious waiting in the wings; in the past few weeks, reports have surfaced about which stars could be facing their fears in the Australian jungle.

Below is a rundown of the nine stars who might be on this year’s series.

Coleen Rooney

Coleen Rooney has reportedly signed up to appear on this year’s series. The wife of former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is said to have secured the biggest deal in the show’s history, which would surpass that of Farage and presenter Noel Edmonds with a fee of over £1.5m. “I’m a Celeb bosses have pulled off a huge coup getting Coleen for the jungle this year and the team are thrilled to have her on board,” a source told The Sun. “Coleen has a huge fanbase and she won massive plaudits for her classy handling of the Wagatha Christie case. She’s excited to show fans a different side to her and prove she can survive without her creature comforts.”

Ally McCoist

This year’s star from the world of football – following in the footsteps of Harry Redknapp, Ian Wright and winner Jill Scott – could be Ally McCoist. The former Rangers pro, who played for Scotland, is now known by many for his commentary on ITV – but it seems he might be heading into the jungle two years after reportedly backing out. An insider told The Sun: “Ally has such a huge fan base thanks to his years of commentating and punditry, plus his long stint on A Question of Sport. He’d be great for the jungle – as his wife and kids have been telling him forever – so everyone is really hopeful that this will be the year.”

Tulisa Contostavlos

One of this year’s biggest rumours is N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos, who was also once a judge on The X Factor. An insider suggested to The Sun that Contostavlos’s booking was inspired by a recent N-Dubz tour, which “introduced her to a younger generation, especially through platforms like TikTok”. They added: “Tulisa’s diverse career makes her a strong contender for I’m a Celebrity because she appeals to a wide audience. ITV is particularly excited about her new following among 16 to 24-year-olds, and hopes the deal is finalised soon.”

Jane Moore

The second Loose Womenstar who is reportedly poised to follow in the footsteps of fellow panellists Janet Street-Porter, Frankie Bridge and Charlene White is Jane Moore, who first appeared on the ITV panel show in 1999. he has been a regular panellist since 2013 and is rumoured to be up for entering the jungle following a split from her husband of 20 years.

Reverend Richard Coles

Reverend Richard Coles, the media personality and former vicar, who was once a member of the band the Communards, will – according to The Sun – be a campmate on this year’s I’m a Celebrity. A source said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly Come Dancing and his later life as a man of the cloth.” Earlier this year, Coles described his time on Strictly as “brutal” amid a behind-the-scenes scandal.

Dean McCullough

Northern Irish BBC Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough has reportedly been tapped to appear on this year’s series. He started presenting for the station in 2020, standing in for Clara Amfo, and in September 2022, he replaced Scott Mills and Chris Stark, alongside Vicky Hawkesworth, as hosts of Radio 1’s afternoon show.

Alan Halsall

Coronation Street star Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, had an I’m a Celebrity near-miss in 2023. He was rumoured to be a part of the line-up but was reportedly forced to withdraw after suffering a knee injury; the photo he shared of himself from his hospital bed essentially ruled himself out of appearing. It’s a likely bet, then, that Halsall has been drafted in for the new series.

GK Barry

There are two Loose Women stars being tipped to join I’m a Celebrity this year – and one became a wift favourite to appear after it was reported she had withdrawn from participating in Strictly Come Dancing due to the rehearsal room scandal that hit the BBC show earlier this year. GK Barry – real name Grace Keeling – would be a hit with the youngsters considering she had a huge following on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube

Olivia Atwood

Love Island star Olivia Atwood might finally be able to re-enter the jungle after being forced to withdraw from the competition in 2022 after just one day. Atwood left the series “as a precautionary measure” in order to “undergo some medical checks” and, when asked if she would appear the following year, she ruled herself out due to scheduling conflicts. However, Atwood could very possibly have kept this winter free to finally complete her tenure in the jungle.

Tommy Fury

One star who is sure to be top of producers’ wish list is Tommy Fury. The former Love Island star and boxer, who recently split from his fiancée Molly Mae Hague, has just released a memoir he will undoubtedly want to promote ahead of Christmas. Fury has now fanned the flames of speculation after dodging a question about his possible I’m a Celebrity involvement on Heart Radio.

When asked if he’ll appear, he said: “Listen, a lot of things in my life is like a rollercoaster in a minute. There are so many things I might do. You know, could he be doing this? Could he be doing that? I don’t know what I’m doing this afternoon. I mean, I just take literally an hour at a time, so I don’t know. There’s a lot of things going on in my life right now. So, I’m not sure on anything.”

An ITV spokesperson told The Independent: “Any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! are just speculation.”

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Leaked Big Brother audio reveals exact moment show’s surprising romance kicked off as house was evacuated in fire alert

Published

1 hour ago

October 18, 2024

NewsAdmin

Leaked Big Brother audio reveals exact moment show's surprising romance kicked off as house was evacuated in fire alert

UNEARTHED audio has revealed the secret conversation between Big Brother housemates Baked Potato and Nathan as their friendship turned romantic.

Fans were stunned to discover the show’s most surprising romance kicked off as the house was evacuated in fire alert.

Baked Potata - AKA Rosie - and Nathan have sparked up a romance — Baked Potata – AKA Rosie – and Nathan have sparked up a romance

The pair were overheard talking during the fire evacuation

Nathan enthusiastically agreed to the date

And on Late and Live last night, presenter Will Best shared the moment the pair planned a secret date while still wearing their mics.

Baked Potato says: “I want to ask now.. When we get out, do you want to go to a winery? Just me and you?”

After struggling to hear what she was saying as she repeatedly whispered “winery”, Nathan finally replied: “Yes, of course.”

He then spilled the tea to Ali about their secret conversation – and plans to date outside of the experience.

Their feelings became transparent when Nathan, Baked Potato and Lily were in the garden last night.

Lily – who was desperate for a snog – dared them to kiss and it ended up exposing their hidden feelings.

Nathan and Baked Potato (Rosie) were whispering to each other how they both had to “run away” from Lily.

The duo quickly retreated to the bathroom as they were both completely taken aback by Lily’s actions.

They both asked each other: “Why is Lily kissing us?”

Housemates were told they must call Rosie “Baked Potato” for the foreseeable future after a dare in the first week.

‘I need a snog’ says Big Brother’s Lily as THREE of the housemates kiss

She has grown close to King Charles‘ former butler Nathan in the house.

It follows Henry and Jordan’s romance last series.

The pair are still together now, a year after Jordan won the show and a £100,00 prize.

Nathan and Baked Potato shared a kiss in front of Lily

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Dave Bautista tears into Trump over ‘tough guy’ pose: ‘He wears more makeup than Dolly Parton’

Published

2 hours ago

October 18, 2024

NewsAdmin

WWE star Dave Bautista tears into Trump over ‘tough guy’ pose

Dave Bautista has mocked Donald Trump’s “tough guy” pose, calling the presidential candidate “a weak, tubby toddler.”

Bautista, 55, rose to fame as a WWE wrestler before building a career as an action star in movies including Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, the James Bond film Spectre and both instalments of Dune.

On last night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, late-night host Kimmel quoted a recent New York Times poll that found Trump is leading rival candidate Kamala Harris by 17 points among male voters. “But is he the strong, alpha man these men believe him to be?” asked Kimmel. “Not according to one of the toughest guys I know, he isn’t.”

Bautista then presented a short segment while working out in a gym. “A lot of men seem to think that Donald Trump is some kind of tough guy,” said the former wrestler. “He’s not.”

The Dune star went on to point out several of Trump’s frailties, including the fact that “he wears more makeup than Dolly Parton,” had “his daddy pay a doctor to say his widdle feet hurt so he could dodge the draft” and has a gut that looks like “a garbage bag full of buttermilk.”

Bautista went on to mock Trump for selling “imaginary baseball cards pretending to be a cowboy fireman” when in fact “the guy is barely strong enough to hold an umbrella.”

Dave Bautista (left) has torn into Donald Trump (Getty)

Bautista concluded the segment by listing various things that Trump is afraid of, including “rain,” “dogs,” and “Meryl f***ing Streep,” before adding: “Mostly he’s terrified that real, red-blooded American men will find out that he’s a weak, tubby toddler.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Kimmel roasted Trump for declaring himself to be the “father of IVF” during an all-female town hall on Fox News.

During the Cumming, Georgia, town hall, with moderator Harris Faulkner, which aired on Wednesday, Trump labeled Alabama Senator Katie Britt “a fantastically attractive person,” before telling the crowd: “I’m the father of IVF.”

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The GOP presidential candidate’s campaign later said he was joking.

“So they loaded in the women, about 100 women – this is the first time Grover Cleveland has been around this many women since they started padlocking the doors at Miss Teen USA – and it was quite an interview, very well done,” Kimmel quipped.

He continued: “They got to the hot button subject of IVF. Now the Supreme Court caved to the far-right on abortion, many believe, rightly, that IVF is next on the list.”

While Trump claims to support the fertility treatment, Democrats warn that the overturning of Roe v Wade and rollback of abortion rights could pave the way for Republicans to take aim at IVF access next.

“Now that [Trump] learned what IVF is – which I’m still not sure he does – he wants to pretend he’s not just a big proponent of IVF, he wants people to know he’s the biggest proponent of IVF,” Kimmel continued.

“Now he’s claiming to be the father of IVF, which has been happening since 1978,” the host added, noting the date the first child was conceived using the fertility treatment.

Kimmel then threw a jab at Trump’s parenting. “This guy won’t even admit he’s the father of Eric – he’s the father of IVF,” he teased. “Maybe it’s short for Ivanka in his brain.”

Vice President Kamala Harris also mocked Trump’s self-prescribed title calling it “quite bizarre.”

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Billy Fletcher takes horrifying risk for Dawn and the kids in Emmerdale

Published

3 hours ago

October 18, 2024

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Billy Fletcher takes horrifying risk for Dawn and the kids in Emmerdale

EMMERDALE fans will see Billy Fetcher take a horrifying risk in the soap next week as his illegal fighting storyline continues.

Billy (Jay Kontzle) has already had one near death experience fighting, but he seems ready to risk his life again to protect his wife and kids.

Billy Fletcher is set to take a horrifying risk in next week's Emmerdale — Billy Fletcher is set to take a horrifying risk in next week’s EmmerdaleCredit: ITV

The husband and father is ready to put himself in harms way as he gears up for another illegal fightCredit: ITV

Billy got hurt badly last time but now has John Sugden in his cornerCredit: ITV

Since moving out of Home Farm and into his own place with his wife Dawn (Olivia Bromley) and their kids Lucas and Evan, Billy has been struggling.

And with Evan so sick, Billy feels like a useless dad unable to provide for his family.

Because of this, he decides to take a huge risk that has a potentially big payoff – another boxing match.

In scenes next week, Mackenzie Boyd (Lawrence Robb) will be shocked to see that Billy is training for another unlicensed fight.

But soon Mack is impressed because John Sugden’s (Oliver Farmworth) impromptu coaching session have improved Billy’s defence.

But John, who found out about the illegal boxing after Billy’s last injury, secretly isn’t convinced by his new money earner.

He enlisted Aaron Dingle’s (Danny Miller) help in his effort to persuade Billy he’s not in a fit state to fight. But will it work?

As Emmerdale viewers know, Billy previously entered the work of illegal fighting with the best of intentions; to provide a better life for his wife and kids.

It’s already nearly cost him his life, after he accidentally fell on something sharp during a fight (allegedly) and was left biting down on a belt while John stitched him up without anaesthetic.

After such a brush with death, and despite warnings to stop, Mack is shocked to discover that his pal is gearing up for yet another fight.

Emmerdale fans work out dark twist for Arthur Thomas and John Sugden

But Mack can’t stop him, so now all he can do is help.

Will John and Aaron be able to get through to him instead?

Mack is impressed that Billy is improving but John is worried he's not up to it — Mack is impressed that Billy is improving but John is worried he’s not up to itCredit: ITV

Meanwhile Billy is still hiding his fighting from DawnCredit: ITV

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Nine staff hire lawyers after report finds some leaders attempted to cover up inappropriate workplace behaviour | Nine Entertainment

Published

5 hours ago

October 18, 2024

NewsAdmin

Investigations are under way into multiple individual complaints by Nine Entertainment staff while others have engaged lawyers after an independent report found a toxic culture at the media company subjected them to sexual harassment and bullying.

While some staff are angry that the report did not identify any alleged perpetrators, others have already made use of an external company commissioned by Nine to make claims against individual managers and colleagues.

The report concluded that “known perpetrators” of inappropriate workplace behaviours were not dealt with and some “leaders” attempted to cover up inappropriate workplace behaviours or discouraged the reporting of incidents.

Sources said there were “a lot of complaints that were being investigated already” and if upheld people may yet be sacked.

“The Intersection report was never designed to be a complaints handling system,” one source said.

Several Nine staff have engaged lawyers to sue for compensation and the report released on Thursday will boost their case, according to employment lawyer Josh Bornstein.

“I’m already representing women at Nine, as well as the other networks,” Bornstein said.

“I think it’s fabulous for the women who’ve already initiated proceedings or are about to initiate proceedings, because it’s highly corroborative of their experiences, and it encourages them to keep going.”

The release on Thursday of the independent report, which found Nine had a culture of bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment across the company, will lead to more staff seeking redress and compensation, Bornstein said.

The YourCall service is an online form designed to allow Nine staff to report sexual harassment or related inappropriate conduct at Nine on an anonymous or identified basis.

“If the Nine Network is serious about changing its unsafe, hostile, misogynist workplace it has to take drastic action,” Bornstein said.

Bornstein called on Nine to release complainants from non-disclosure agreements and agreements already signed “to settle claims for paltry sums”.

“Instead of hiding all this, they need to let the sunlight in,” he said. “They should also be working with the human rights commission on how how to comply with their duty and proactive steps to stop sexual harassment and gendered mistreatment.”

Nine Chair Catherine West has apologised for the harm caused and says a “proactive culture change agenda” is already underway.

“The reality is much more needs to be done and a cultural reset is required,” West said. “Nine’s Board and leadership team are united in their commitment to accelerating and driving the required change.”

The Intersection report made 22 recommendations, which Nine has committed to implementing.

They include developing a process to ensure that reports of inappropriate workplace behaviour made in relation to board members or senior leaders “are immediately
referred to an independent and external party for investigation”.

Nine has also committed to developing a five-year diversity and inclusion strategy for the organisation.

Nine’s former chief executive Mike Sneesby and news director Darren Wick have left the company.

Sneesby stepped down in September after acknowledging “this year has been one of the most challenging in my career”.

He told staff “the timing was right to commence a leadership transition”. The chief finance officer, Matt Stanton, took over on an interim basis while the company searches for a new CEO.

Wick left abruptly in March but it was later reported he left after complaints of sexual harassment, inappropriate behaviour and allegations of a toxic culture within Nine’s television newsrooms.

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Strictly’s Wynne Evans and Katya Jones pictured laughing together amid ‘grope’ scandal – The Sun

Published

6 hours ago

October 18, 2024

NewsAdmin

Strictly’s Wynne Evans and Katya Jones pictured laughing together amid ‘grope’ scandal – The Sun

IT looks like under-fire Strictly pair Wynne Evans and Katya Jones have got their sparkle back.

The duo — stung by the backlash to their grope “joke” — were spotted laughing in Cardiff on Wednesday.

Strictly pair Wynne Evans and Katya Jones were spotted laughing in Cardiff on WednesdayCredit: Click News and Media

The pair appeared downcast just 24 hours beforeCredit: BackGrid

The Go Compare opera singer, 52, and his pro partner Katya, 35, appeared downcast just 24 hours before.

Women’s Aid had slammed them for saying it was an in-joke when Wynne grabbed Katya’s waist on Saturday night’s show.

The domestic abuse charity said: “Inappropriate behaviour towards women is no joke.”

Women’s Aid added: “With an epidemic of misogyny and violence against women and girls in the UK, we need a media culture where women feel safe to speak up, where sexually inappropriate conduct is not trivialised or joked about.

“It’s important we challenge inappropriate ‘jokes’ so we don’t continue normalising toxic attitudes that cultivate these forms of gender-based abuse.”

The pair are training in Cardiff, where Wynne presents the BBC Radio Wales lunchtime show.

Katya removed Wynne’s hand from her stomach after he slid it across from her waist and declined to high-five him on Saturday’s show.

The pair have been rapped over the knuckles by BBC bosses for the incident that was broadcast live and has become a viral sensation.

On Tuesday the pair looked downcast as they arrived at their training session in Cardiff as angry viewers called for their axe.

Both stars insisted there was nothing sinister behind Katya’s frosty reaction.

Strictly’s Vito Coppola reveals truth behind Katya Jones and Wynne Evans ‘grope’ shock

GoCompare crooner Wynne wrote: “We were just messing around. We really are amazing friends.”

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Woman of the Hour: The haunting true story of the Seventies serial killer invited on primetime TV

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I’m a Celebrity line-up rumours ahead of 2024 launch episode

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Leaked Big Brother audio reveals exact moment show’s surprising romance kicked off as house was evacuated in fire alert

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Dave Bautista tears into Trump over ‘tough guy’ pose: ‘He wears more makeup than Dolly Parton’

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Billy Fletcher takes horrifying risk for Dawn and the kids in Emmerdale

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Nine staff hire lawyers after report finds some leaders attempted to cover up inappropriate workplace behaviour | Nine Entertainment

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Strictly’s Wynne Evans and Katya Jones pictured laughing together amid ‘grope’ scandal – The Sun

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