Katy Perry wasn’t “bullied,” Channel 7 has defended itself against Darren Hayes’ accusation that the U.S. star’s interview with “Sunday Night” show appeared like an ambush. The UK-based Aussie singer watched Perry’s interview in the show online, and observed that Perry had been bullied by journalist Jackie Frank.

The interview, which was aired on Sunday, was facilitated by guest interviewer Frank, editor of the magazine Marie Claire.

It included footages of Perry becoming uncomfortable and asking for her staff’s help when the questions gravitated towards her defunct relationship with ex-husband Russell Brand. Instead of cutting out the scenes completely, “Sunday Night” included the awkward moments, complete with the words “Out of Bounds” marked across the screen.

In his blog, the former Savage Garden vocalist expressed his distaste over the interview, noting that Perry wasn’t treated right during the segment.

Before watching the interview online, he had come across several negative remarks on Twitter from Australian journalists about how the “Roar” songstress had come across in the interview.

“Something didn’t quite ring true for me and I watched the interview online and I saw something that has been bothering me, as an Australian living overseas, for about 15 years. There is a tone, and a quite nasty one, to the piece that sadly has come to epitomise mainstream Australian media that I must presume is only obvious to those who don’t live there,” Hayes wrote.

“It is, quite literally, bullying. Yet it presents itself as the victim.”

Hayes thought that it was wrong of the show to air segments of the interview that should have been cut out of the final edited version.

“...it is widely accepted that as the crew sets up, cameras roll but the final edit will only use the footage in the context of the interview. If you need to stop for a drink of water, a tissue or in Katy’s case, to nervously look at a publicist because you’re uncomfortable with a question being asked – it is presumed this will not make it to air.

“Not because you’re trying to convey a false image. But because you’re all professionals and you’ve agreed prior to the tone of the piece and presumably the subject matter. There’s a level of trust involved.”

The 41-year-old chart-topper said that although he wasn’t privy to any prior agreements Perry and the show made for the interview, he was certain that there was a level of trust that came from both sides.

“This is built up when both teams talk – various conversations in the weeks leading up to this interview about the tone, about how the guest would be treated and about a certain level of professionalism. To take these offcut sections of tape, the ‘wide footage’ that included awkward moments in the broadcast then overlay ridiculous cartoon graphics and dramatic pauses to coincide with disparaging ‘boo’ voiceovers is not what anyone at this level of broadcasting expects.”

He ended his blog with, “We’re better than this. Sorry Katy.”

But “Sunday Night” executive producer Mark Llewellyn didn’t agree with Hayes’ observation.

“I am not sure we are talking about the same interview,” he told News Corp Australia.

“The one I saw on Sunday Night was an affectionate and intelligent chat between two strong women. As for playing the interjection of the manager, it happened. Are we to deceive the audience and pretend it didn’t?”

Llewellyn continued, “When the cameras roll the cameras roll – all experienced stars know this. Indeed that was Katy’s own point about her own documentary – that those impromptu and unscripted moments were kept because they were real and honest. This in the end was what Jackie’s interview was too.”

Watch the interview here:

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