Broadcaster Chris Smith is miraculously returning to the airwaves, two months after his drunken behavior at a work function appeared to have ended his career.
Smith received a lifeline from the international digital talk station TNT Radio, where he will host an afternoon show five days a week starting Monday.
The 60-year-old, who has a history of alcohol-fueled misbehavior, has not had a drop of alcohol in 75 days and has vowed never to drink again.
Smith was fired by 2GB and Sky News Australia after he outraged several women with his conduct after the television network’s Christmas party.
He made lewd comments that brought one of his colleagues to tears at the party, and groped another on the butt.
Broadcaster Chris Smith is miraculously returning to the airwaves, two months after his drunken behavior at a work function appeared to have ended his career. He has vowed never to drink alcohol again. His wife Susie Burrell has supported him.
Smith was fired by Sky News Australia and radio station 2GB due to his offensive conduct after a Sky News Christmas party on 10 December.
Smith told Daily Mail Australia that after spending time in rehabilitation and consulting with psychiatrists and psychologists, he realized he was incapable of drinking responsibly.
“In earlier times when I had been drinking heavily, I never had the guts or probably the guidance to be able to stop drinking,” he said.
I never had the advice, never had the guts to do what I should have done, which was to give up completely.
“I thought I could control it, like I thought I could control it in December, but I can’t.”
When asked if he would ever drink again, Smith said: “Never, never.”
I do not need it. I’m mad at it. It’s not just the big incidents that have happened in my life. It is also the almost daily alcohol dependency that I have also had.
‘It negatively impacts my family, my wife, my children. I don’t need that anymore.’
Smith said she had learned she couldn’t mix alcohol with her bipolar medication, which caused her to pass out.
‘If I drink more than five hours, I hit this black wall. Now I know it’s due to the medication I take. You faint. I never knew.
Smith told Daily Mail Australia that he had spent time in rehab, and after consulting with psychiatrists and psychologists, realized he was incapable of drinking responsibly. He is pictured on December 8 at the harborside mansion of News co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch.
I always thought grog dulled my bipolar medication, but it made you black out.
Smith described those who said blackouts were “that wild card prospect” and said problem drinking had been “the downfall of my life.”
“I have eliminated the wild card perspective of behaving like a teenager,” he said. “I’ve gotten that out of my life and I should have done it over a decade ago.
“It’s a huge relief for me and it’s a great start to another leg of a drama-free career.”
The Chris Smith Show will air on tntradio.live from 15 to 17 hours from Monday to Friday and will focus on international affairs in its first hour.
The next hour will have a more local focus and Smith will be able to take calls from all over the world.
“He’s terribly lucky,” Smith said. ‘It’s a huge lifesaver for me and I intend to grab it with both hands. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated a job more in my life.
Smith, who has a history of alcohol-induced misconduct at work functions, celebrated 50 days without drinking with this Facebook post in January.
Smith said TNT Radio CEO Mike Ryan had asked him what he had been doing since December before giving him a job.
He told Ryan about his rehabilitation efforts, which included weekly AA meetings to prevent further “self-sabotage”.
“I was happy with all of it and I knew my job,” Smith said. “And very happy to have me on board,” Smith said.
“I feel like I’m on a really positive trajectory now and I don’t feel like I’m a danger to myself or anybody else.”
Smith said his wife, nutritionist Susie Burrell, had supported him through his ongoing recovery and was delighted with his new job.
“She’s been an absolute tower of strength,” he said. She has been fantastic.
She’s glad she has this weekday job for the first time in years, and she’s also glad she has a sober husband.
Prior to his dismissal, Smith was about to host his own daily 5pm show on Sky News before he was sacked, and that role was given to Sharri Markson.
Smith was previously suspended by 2GB for allegedly harassing four women at the radio station’s 2009 Christmas party.
He had previously been demoted on the Nine Network’s A Current Affair after allegedly exposing himself at a farewell party in the late 1990s.
After the 2 GB soiree, Smith admitted to getting drunk on champagne and red wine and said he had also taken “the wrong antidepressants”.
He soon returned to 2GB, where until December he had been a weekend presenter and regular replacement announcer.
Smith, who had presented a Sunday night show on Sky, checked herself into a mental health facility in December and apologized for her behaviour.
“I am beyond heartbroken and devastated to learn that I upset my colleagues after our Christmas party,” he said at the time.
I apologize profusely to the women I upset. That’s not the man I am at work, ever, as everyone attests. They have been very supportive of me and do not deserve such drunken treatment.’
Smith blamed the events on bipolar disorder and alcohol addiction, saying: “I have a recurring problem with alcohol … it makes me manic.”
He had joined his colleagues at Sky News’s end-of-year celebrations at the Ivy Sunroom in Sydney’s central business district, which began around 12pm on December 10.
As that formal event concluded in the afternoon, a group that included Smith moved near the Settlement.
There Smith was accused of touching a young co-worker, making lewd comments and acting inappropriately with other colleagues.
Several of Smith’s former colleagues at SKY and 2GB attacked him when his conduct became public.
Ray Hadley was on vacation but called 2GB to say, “I don’t think (Smith) should ever go back to a network.”
