Home Australia Alex Cullen breaks silence on shock Today show axing amid fallout from $50,000 Adrian Portelli gift: ‘This has been a very difficult time’

Alex Cullen breaks silence on shock Today show axing amid fallout from $50,000 Adrian Portelli gift: ‘This has been a very difficult time’

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Alex Cullen, 44, (pictured) has broken his silence after the Nine Network removed the Today star for accepting a $50,000 gift from block billionaire Adrian Portelli

Alex Cullen has broken his silence after the Nine Network axed the Today star for accepting a $50,000 gift from block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

The TV presenter, 44, accepted the eye-watering sum after he was the first media personality to use Portelli’s self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ live on air last week, clearing up a firestorm.

On Sunday, after it was revealed Cullen was let go for the incident, the father-of-three admitted in an Instagram post that his exit from the Nine Breakfast show has been “difficult”.

He shared a picture with his fans of himself and his son Max, one, enjoying a ride on a Ferris wheel overlooking the sea.

In the caption, he thanked the fans who reached out to him and said he would ‘miss’ working with his co-stars today.

‘A quick note from me. This has been a very difficult time and I just want to thank all the wonderful people who reached out,’ he said.

Alex Cullen, 44, (pictured) has broken his silence after the Nine Network removed the Today star for accepting a $50,000 gift from block billionaire Adrian Portelli

Cullen added: ‘It means the world to me and my young family. I will miss my colleagues today and wish them the best.

“Thank you again and I look forward to what comes next.”

Today, host Karl Stefanovic announced live on air Friday morning that Cullen had left the network after the incident with Portelli.

“As most of you are aware, our colleague Alex Cullen has not been on air with us this past week,” a solemn Stefanovic told viewers.

‘There have been widespread reports about the circumstances surrounding this, what I can say is that last night Alex and Nine agreed that he would end the network.

‘Alex of course has been part of the family today for five years, he is always ready with a smile and a laugh and without hesitation speaking for all of us here, we can say that he is going to be terribly missed, that’s for sure.’

“Alex is a great guy, what you see is what you get and he has been a great partner to all of us over the years and we wish Alex, his wife Bonnie and their beautiful children the best for the future,” Stefanovic continued.

A spokesperson for Nine told Daily Mail Australia: “Nine has agreed with today’s presenter and journalist Alex Cullen that he will end the network following a review into a recent incident.”

The TV presenter accepted the eye-watering sum after he was the first media personality to use Portelli, 35, (pictured) self-proclaimed nickname 'McLaren Man' live on air last week, accelerating a firestorm

The TV presenter accepted the eye-watering sum after he was the first media personality to use Portelli’s, 35, (pictured) self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ live on air last week, clearing up a firestorm

The scandal began when Portelli, 35, had grown tired of his long-used nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ and offered cash reward to the first person to use his new nickname ‘McLaren Man’ on air, with Cullen forced on today just over a week ago.

The blockchain entrepreneur recorded what appeared to be a $50,000 wire transfer to the presenter on Instagram.

Accepting cash, gifts or benefits to undermine journalistic independence and improperly using a journalistic position for personal gain are violations of the Journalism Code of Ethics, as defined by the Media Arts and Entertainment Alliance Union.

The ill-advised stunt led to Cullen being suspended for nine and not appearing on the show while the network investigated the payment. The sum has been donated to the charity by Portelli.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Adrian Portelli for comment.

Portelli responded to the scandal on Instagram just before Cullen’s elimination was announced, promising to find the host a job today if they let him go from the network.

The wealthy entrepreneur recently shared a photo with his followers in which he revealed that he had donated Cullen’s $50,000 to a charity in his name, and extended a surprising offer to the host.

“Alex Cullen…on behalf of you mate, $25,000 to the Salvation Army and $25,000 to the RSPCA,” Portelli wrote alongside a screenshot of the bank receipts.

On Sunday, after it was revealed that Cullen was let go for the incident, the father of three admitted in an Instagram post that his exit from the Nine Breakfast show has been

On Sunday, after it was revealed Cullen was let go for the incident, the father-of-three admitted in an Instagram post that his exit from the Nine Breakfast show has been “difficult”. Pictured with his son Max, one

‘I have remained fairly quiet about what developed with Alex, but before I had even heard from Nine, we had a conversation in which he expressed his desire to donate the money.

‘That says a lot about his character. Alex, you are an absolute gentleman. If nine would let you go, I would be more than happy to collaborate with you on something. True class, friend!

Portelli also shared his stories that he had ‘positions available’ in Melbourne for content creators and videographers, hinting at what roles might be available for Cullen.

During his absence from the Today show, Cullen was replaced by Clint Stanaway, who has been reporting live from Melbourne for Nine’s coverage of Australian Open tennis.

Nine’s parting ways with Cullen went ahead despite Portelli’s claim that Cullen intended the money to be paid to charity all along.

Max Markson, who has been a leading PR agent for 50 years, earlier this week said that while it was not “non-normal” behavior for a presenter to accept such rewards, he believed Cullen had clearly done so in a light-hearted manner.

“I’m sure they didn’t think they were going to get the $50,000, but then they got it and unfortunately Alex has retired for the moment, which is crazy,” he told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.

‘He shouldn’t have taken the $50,000 obviously, but he’s given it back. I don’t think that’s the reason they did it, they did it as a joke obviously.

Today, host Karl Stefanovic announced live on air Friday morning that Cullen had left the network after the incident with Portelli

Today, host Karl Stefanovic announced live on air Friday morning that Cullen had left the network after the incident with Portelli

Portelli responded to the scandal on Instagram just before Cullen's elimination was announced, promising to find the modern-day host a job if he was let go from the network.

Portelli responded to the scandal on Instagram just before Cullen’s elimination was announced, promising to find the modern-day host a job if he was let go from the network.

Markson didn’t think it would do Cullen’s television career any lasting damage and predicted he would be back on the air in seven days.

Nine experts also told Daily Mail Australia that the stunt could have been beneficial to the network and Portelli, if Cullen had advised the promoter that, as a journalist, he could not accept any payment for making the comment on air.

Portelli first received the unwanted nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ after arriving at a 2022 auction of the house’s popular makeover show in a yellow Lamborghini.

Cullen joined today for its relaunch five years ago.

He was initially the sports presenter but took over news when Tracy Vo left the show and returned to 9News Perth.

Cullen shares three children with his wife Bonnie: they are Max, one, and twin daughters Evie and Audrey, six.

(Tagstotranslate) DailyMail (T) TVShowBiz (T) Alex Cullen

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