The Bump Bumps Off Royal Call Hoaxer’s Radio Show Hot 30
Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian's controversial radio show, Hot 30, got bumped off the air by a new interactive radio show aptly titled The Boot. Their call to the King Edward VII hospital in London to inquire about the state of Duchess Catherine's pregnancy led to the suicide of nurse Jacinta Saldanha who passed on the call to another nurse, who in turn, divulged the medical information, thinking it was the Queen herself who was on the line.
On Sunday, Southern Cross Austereo, the parent company of 2Day FM, announced on its Facebook page of the replacement by the Hot 30 show. Ironically, while promoting the new show on Twitter, the producers of Hot 30, Ben Harlem and Emily Mills, were spotted posing in a photo tweet, indicating the producers might have a role in the new programme.
However, Southern Cross clarified that it is not firing Ms Greig and Mr Christian but will later give them roles not yet decided for now.
"We look forward to Mel and MC 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," SCA said in a statement on Monday.
Ms Saldanha was found hanging in the nurses' room of the hospital's accommodation days later after the incident which caused a public furor.
The two DJs got death threats and verbal abuse over the death of the nurse, leading them to issue a public apology on TV.
Besides axing Hot 30, the radio station also suspended prank calls and pledged $520,000 to help the family of Ms Saldanha, an Indian-born nurse and mother of two.
Despite the investigation by Australia's media watchdog and Scotland Yard into the prank call, the Australian police said the two DJs would unlikely face prosecution over a bad joke over the air gone wrong.