TV journalist Robert Ovadia has hit back at “evil” Seven Network bosses after his own daughter asked him a heartbreaking question in the wake of his sudden sacking.
Last week in the Federal Court, Seven alleged that “13 further women” had made allegations against the former star reporter.
But the claim prompted Ovadia’s teenage daughter to ask her father if people would now think her “father is a rapist.”
On Tuesday, Ovadia, 51, revealed the devastating comment in a social media post and said he was now prepared for more dirty accusations in the increasingly bitter feud.
“I expect more defamation in the coming months as this evil company (in whose service I risked my life and safety many times) now seeks to further destroy my reputation,” he added.
Ovadia revealed that she had also received a chilling death threat from a man who posts images of guns on her Instagram page.
“Hello ringworm,” said the disturbing message addressed to Ovadia.
‘When do you want to be brutally murdered?’
Sacked Seven reporter Robert Ovadia received a death threat and a heartbreaking question
Robert Ovadia called the Seven network “evil” in his post on social media
Ovadia said she had also received numerous messages of support since Seven came forward with the new allegations.
The Walkley Award-winning journalist has repeatedly and vehemently denied any wrongdoing or inappropriate conduct on his part during his 23-year career at Seven.
Posting a series of the messages received, she added: ‘Feel free to scroll through some recent interactions with women I have worked with in Seven’s Propaganda Unit.
“I can be rude, I can be gruff, I can be nasty, my humor is dark… 20 years surrounded by trauma and danger can have all that.
“But I do NOT abuse women. At least the Four Corners smear team got one thing right: the Seven network is evil.”
Ovadia was fired in June over two image exchanges in the Seven newsroom and filed a claim in the Federal Court for unfair dismissal.
Her legal action against Seven Network and Seven West Media news director and editor-in-chief Anthony De Ceglie had its first docket management meeting last week.
At that meeting, Seven’s lawyers argued that since his dismissal, complaints have piled up against the 51-year-old veteran journalist.
But in support of Ovadia, a former female colleague posted: ‘All the girls I worked with you loved your playful side… your big, sassy girl side, never knowing what was in store except that it was going to be fun and it got a little easier even though we all interacted that way.
‘There would be long, depressing nights without him. You’re the furthest thing from an abuser or something. This whole thing is so incomprehensible.
“We don’t want you to have to feel like you can’t be yourself as a result of such ridiculous accusations. It’s incredibly unfair.”
Fired reporter Robert Ovadia received a death threat and was asked a heartbreaking question by his own teenage daughter in the wake of his firing.
Supporters of Ovadia have emerged since the former veteran reporter filed a wrongful dismissal claim against Seven and its boss Anthony de Ceglie (above)
In another comment posted to Ovadia, a male supporter wrote: ‘I put you in the same category as your former colleague Chris Reason in that you are a seasoned professional.
“Like many others, I don’t believe the stories circulating about you. Keep fighting and hopefully you will emerge victorious.”
When Seven fired the veteran Sydney reporter, the network said it would conduct an internal investigation into allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”.
Ovadia was initially accused of creating edited photographs and a caricature of a woman, “Person A,” and sending them to that person, an act that did not constitute sexual harassment, according to his statement of claim to the court.
Two of the cartoon images of a woman depicting a colleague are dismissed by the reporter as part of reporters’ exchanges in the Seven newsroom.
The death threat sent to Ovadia by a social media user who has multiple images of guns, cash and luxury cars on his own Instagram page
He also allegedly sent a photo copied from the Internet of a flaccid penis to “Person B,” which was not sexual in nature and did not amount to sexual harassment, according to documents filed by his lawyers.
“No reasonable employer could have concluded that the conduct amounted to sexual harassment; the photo was not conduct of a sexual nature,” her statement of claim states.
Seven’s legal adviser Vanja Bulut said last week the broadcaster had email evidence of complaints about Ovadia’s conduct from 13 other women.
“Following the plaintiff’s termination, 13 additional women came forward with complaints regarding his conduct, and they are now subject to investigation,” Bulut told Federal Court Judge Elizabeth Raper.
“The applicant has been informed of this fact.”
Ovadia’s lawyers argued in court that their client’s conduct did not constitute sexual harassment or serious misconduct and claimed he was unlawfully fired.
