On-set claims swirl around Julia Morris as pre-recording, leaks and industry pressure collide — plus ABC backlash, radio spin, newsroom whispers and why mistakes keep slipping to air.
This week on Media McKnight:
- Claims of rising tension on the set of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! as insiders speak out about behaviour behind the scenes
- Why pre-recording the entire season saved money — and created a spoiler nightmare
- ABC’s Always Was… Tonight sparks backlash, despite strong production and powerful moments
- Christian O’Connell’s “national breakfast” claim put under the microscope
- ARN’s Michael Stephenson admits KIIS Brisbane backflip was a mistake
- Inside the race to replace Jonathan Upton at 9News Queensland
- And why automation and staff cuts mean more mistakes are slipping to air than ever before
YOU CAN WATCH THE VIDEO VERSION OF MEDIA McKNIGHT IN THE PLAYER BELOW
Julia Morris – Diva or victim?
Let’s start with I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! — because while the ratings are strong, there are clearly issues bubbling away behind the scenes.
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This year’s entire season has been pre-recorded, a significant shift for a show that previously leaned into being live. The reason is simple: cost cutting.
By shooting every episode back-to-back and not stopping for weekends, production avoided crew penalty rates and saved heavily on accommodation. The result? Less time in South Africa, lower costs — and a very happy crew who wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible.
But according to multiple on-set sources, that wasn’t the only reason people wanted to leave.
I’ve been told by trusted production insiders that Julia Morris was increasingly difficult on set, with behaviour described as “less than professional” and temper flare-ups occurring in front of cameras.
One particularly telling detail: every time things escalated, co-host Robert Irwin would reportedly look away, suddenly finding something else to focus on.
As someone who is genuinely a fan of Julia Morris – and who has interviewed her on my own shows and podcast – I was surprised by this. So, I did what I think is fair: I checked whether this was completely out of left field.
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It wasn’t.
Daily Mail Australia last year ran a story claiming Morris was furious about having to give up luxuries to keep the show within budget. Morris strongly denied that claim in an interview with Mediaweek, saying:
“Last year was one of the most difficult years because some nom de plume at a certain publication decided to turn on me… literally after 39 years of there never being a breath of scandal about me. Never. Ever.”
She went on to say that the follow-up stories came from the same person.
To be clear: the allegations being put to me now are not coming from that same source.
But they are consistent.
People I trust are telling me Julia’s behaviour on set has been getting worse year by year.
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That is a long way from the Julia Morris I’ve dealt with personally – someone I admire – but this is what people are saying.
As someone who was undiagnosed ADHD for most of his career, I know how heightened emotions can be interpreted by others. Thankfully I now have a treatment plan to help with that.
I don’t know what’s going on with Julia, but it would be worth reflecting on why crew are openly talking about their negative experiences on set with her
The risk of pre-recording: spoilers everywhere
Pre-recording the entire season has created another problem: leaks.
When enough people know the outcome, it gets out.
While I don’t usually post plot spoilers (yes, I have announced cast for reality TV shows in the past), I’m choosing to do so this time to prove the claims written about Julia come from trusted sources with direct knowledge of how the show played out.
If these scenarios are correct, I’ll leave you decide on my reporting.
If they are wrong I will eat humble pie.
If you don’t want to know details about what happens, skip this section.
**SPOILERS BELOW***
I’m told the final three contestants are:
- Luke Bateman
- Concetta Caristo
- Gary Sweet
And viewers should also expect Deni Hines to exit earlier than expected.
Channel 10 will be happy with the ratings. But there are clearly issues on set that need addressing.
ABC’s Always Was… Tonight – well made, but who was it for?
Australia Day is always controversial, and this year the ABC decided to turn the temperature up with Always Was… Tonight, fronted by Tony Armstrong.
I watched the special — and while I thought it was very well produced, I kept asking myself a simple question: who is this actually for?
Tony Armstrong leads Always Was Tonight as the ABC aims to decolonise the news and elevate Indigenous storytelling. (image – ABC)
There were some good jokes. The opening line –
“I did not expect to be the first blackface fronting a comedy show on the ABC since Chris Lilley”
– genuinely made me laugh.
But overall, Armstrong struggled with comedic delivery. He’s a strong presenter, and that really showed when he shifted into serious commentary near the end of the program – particularly when talking about Indigenous youth incarceration.
That was his strongest moment.
What didn’t work was the tone throughout much of the show, which seemed to punch white Australians, particularly those who support Australia Day.
At one point, it essentially declares that if you support Australia Day, you’re racist.
I’m white.
I support Australia Day.
I want to celebrate this country.
According to this special, that makes me racist – and later, I’m even told not to “be a dog”. That’ll certainly get people onside!
There were skits that worked, particularly one explaining historical smallpox contamination, delivered through humour rather than accusation. That was genuinely informative — and I learned something.
But the broader message came across as: white Australia, you’re the problem.
Two things can be true at once.
The atrocities committed against Indigenous Australians were horrific — and we can also celebrate the modern nation we live in today.
This show didn’t want to bring people along for the ride. It wanted to lecture them.
The final monologue was powerful:
“On an average night in Australia, 35 Indigenous kids under 13 years old will be incarcerated… Our government thinks these kids are too young to use TikTok, but we’re comfortable shoving them in prison.”
That matters.
That lands.
But calling people dogs for celebrating a national public holiday? That achieves nothing.
The special averaged around 261,000 viewers nationally in primetime — beaten earlier that day by Sunrise and Today.
Beautifully produced.
Strong moments.
But deeply confused about its audience, choosing only to speak into an echo chamber rather than engaging the wider community.
Christian O’Connell and the “national breakfast” claim
I really like Christian O’Connell. He’s talented, professional, and has done something impressive: arriving in Australia with an English accent and defying the odds to becom a major success in Melbourne.
But there’s some PR spin around his new “national” Gold FM breakfast show that needs unpacking.
On FM, the show airs only in:
- Melbourne (104.3)
- Sydney (101.7)
ARN is set to shake up breakfast radio, with Christian O’Connell fronting mornings in both major cities and Jonesy & Amanda moving to a national drive slot. (image – Profile Talent)
In Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, it’s DAB+ and app only — with local breakfast shows still on FM.
That’s fine. But let’s be honest about it. Is it really a ‘national’ show in the traditional sense.
Despite that detail, Christian talked up the claim on his first ‘national’ show:
“Never in radio history in Australia has there been a national breakfast show.”
But, that simply isn’t true – even if you allow the DAB+ spin.
If DAB+ qualifies as national, then Mikey and Emma on RnB Fridays launched a pure DAB+ national breakfast show across five capital cities back in 2022.
So, that means that his show isn’t the first ‘national’ show, which ever way you slice it.
Christian will do well. I wish him success.
But this is a Sydney–Melbourne FM show with national digital distribution, not some unprecedented radio revolution.
KIIS Brisbane: when a CEO admits he got it wrong
One of the most interesting radio moments of the month came out of Brisbane.
ARN CEO Michael Stephenson fronted up after sacking – and then reinstating – Robin, Kip and Corey at KIIS 97.3 following massive listener backlash.
Speaking on air, Stephenson admitted:
“Quite clearly it wasn’t the right decision.”
*You can hear the full exchange in the video version of Media McKnight in the player above.
And he went further, acknowledging that no one had ever reversed a call like that before – which made doing it the right thing.
The trio weren’t number one. They were number four, but they obviously have a place in the heart of Brisbane listeners and the company has listened.
Radio is about connection — and executives ignore that at their peril.
There aren’t many CEOs who would face the music like that.
Full credit to Stephenson.
Who replaces Jonathan Uptin at 9News Queensland?
There’s also plenty of chatter right now inside the 9News Queensland newsroom following the axing of sports presenter Jonathan Uptin as part of Nine’s recent round of redundancies, which also claimed Sydney weather presenter Amber Sherlock.
The question everyone is asking: who gets the sports chair next?
Several names are being quietly discussed internally.
One is Aislin Kriukelis, who has filled in on sport many times and is widely respected inside the newsroom. She’s capable, trusted, and well liked — but there’s also a view she may not want a full five-day role, given she currently works weekends as a mother of two.
Another option is Adam Jackson, Nine’s current sports editor. Giving him the role would make logical sense from an operational point of view, but at least one source suggests he may lack the polish and on-screen presence the network typically looks for in a full-time sports presenter.
Then there’s the wildcard: Paul Taylor, currently reading on the Gold Coast. Taylor has a strong sports background and is said to be keen. He’s already proven capable of stepping up to the 6pm bulletin when required, which puts him firmly in the mix.
A more left-field name being floated is Olympian Ariana Titmus. Her father already reads news just down the road at Seven, and her appointment would certainly generate headlines – though at this stage that remains speculative.
But the name I’m hearing most consistently is Bronte Gildea.
Bronte Gildea presenting sport at the Australian Open for 9NEWS Queensland
The 28-year-old is widely regarded as a rising star inside Nine, and a major clue came recently when she was chosen to read sport at the Australian Open. Those kinds of high-profile gigs aren’t handed out randomly — they’re where networks like to put their best foot forward.
Some think she’s young for the role.
I’m hearing the opposite.
Right now, the whispers are that the job is Bronte’s to lose.
Mistakes on air — and why they’re becoming normal
Finally, a quick word on the growing number of on-air errors across television news.
From Seven News publishing a headline reading “stay way from the Paris Agreement” — despite the clip clearly saying “stay away” — to live technical misfires, quality control is clearly under strain.
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Sky News channelled Wayne’s World with an extreme close up of Chris Kenny, with the camera continuing to zoom in on the presenter.
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ABC Weekend Breakfast cut to an upcoming guest during an interview, leading to a funny funny reaction.
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Automation, staff cuts and tighter deadlines mean mistakes that once would’ve been caught are now slipping through.
Once upon a time, every super was double-checked.
Now, often, it isn’t.
And viewers are noticing.
Media McKnight is published every Wednesday on the TV Blackbox website and the video version is pubished Tuesday night at 9pm AEDT at youtube.com/@mcknighttonight
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