Rebecca Gibney found herself firmly in the hot seat this morning, after Christian O’Connell put her on the spot with a cheeky hosting claim live on breakfast radio.
The moment unfolded on Gold Network’s national The Christian O’Connell Show this morning, as Gibney joined the program to promote her new role hosting Millionaire Hot Seat on 10.
O’Connell, who helms the breakfast show, set the tone early, revealing he had been in the running for the hosting gig before Gibney was announced, framing the near miss as a personal financial disaster.
– Advertisement –
“You may not know this, but you’ve actually taken my job,” O’Connell said, before adding:
“You’ve cost me my swimming pool. We’re not getting that swimming pool.”
Rebecca Gibney on the Millionaire Hot Seat set, following a lively week of launch publicity and a cheeky breakfast radio moment with Christian O’Connell (image – 10)
TV Blackbox first revealed the quiz show’s return to screens earlier last year, this time on 10, later reporting that a prominent Australian female actor would host, with Christian O’Connell and Carrie Bickmore among the rumoured names before Rebecca Gibney was confirmed.
Gibney, who stepped into the role after turning 60, laughed off the claim, responding with a straight faced, “I have not,” before later offering a polite:
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
The exchange escalated into full theatre, with O’Connell joking that whenever he sees Gibney on TV he now sings, “It should have been me,” while accusing her of having “airbrushed me out of TV history in this country.”
Earlier in the chat, Gibney explained her decision to take on the quiz show, describing it as a leap outside her comfort zone inspired by her mother’s advice to give back to audiences who have supported her career.
The playful stoush capped off a strong opening week for Hot Seat, which launched in the 7.00pm slot on Monday with a $50,000 win in its premiere episode, as Gibney wraps her first week in the Hot Seat.
– Advertisement –
You can listen to the full chat from this morning HERE.
The new Millionaire Hot Seat airs weeknights at 7.00pm on 10.
– Advertisement –
