The scandal engulfing Channel Nine star Alex Cullen over a $50,000 gift to Adrian Portelli has taken another dramatic turn as the billionaire claims the money was always intended for charity.
In an attempt to shed his nickname ‘Lambo Guy’, Portelli offered the $50,000 cash prize to the first member of the television media to use his new preferred nickname, ‘McLaren Man’.
When Cullen, 44, used the name live on the Today show, Portelli posted what appeared to be a $50,000 wire transfer to the sports anchor.
Nine immediately suspended Cullen, who has not appeared on air since, and announced an investigation into the payment it said was being returned.
But Portelli claimed on Tuesday that Cullen intended the money to be paid to charities from the beginning and published details of payments of $25,000 each made on his behalf to the Salvation Army and the RSPCA.
“Alex Cullen… on behalf of you my friend, $25,000 to the Salvation Army and $25,000 to the RSPCA,” Portelli wrote on Instagram.
“I’ve stayed pretty quiet about what happened with Alex, but before I even heard from Ch9, we had a conversation where he expressed his desire to donate the money.
“That says a lot about his character. Alex, you are an absolute gentleman.
Adria Portelli claimed on Tuesday that Nine’s Alex Cullen (above) intended the money to be paid to charities from the beginning and published details of payments of $25,000 each made on her behalf to the Salvation Army and the RSPCA .

Adrián Portelli (above)

Adrián Portelli published an image of a bank transfer (in the photo) on his Instagram account
‘If Ch9 lets you go (although I really hope they don’t!), I’d be more than happy to collaborate with you on something. Real class, mate!’
Max Markson, who has been a prominent public relations agent for 50 years, said that although it was “not normal behavior” for a presenter to accept cash to say something that was not part of his stated endorsements, he believed Cullen had clearly been joking.
Markson pointed out that Today host Karl Stefanovic was in on the joke, smiling that Cullen had gotten it right when he said ‘McClaren Guy’ and that he could split the $50,000 with him.
“I’m sure they didn’t think they were going to get the $50,000, but then they got it and unfortunately Alex has been retired for the moment, which is crazy,” Markson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.
“Obviously he shouldn’t have taken the $50,000, but he gave it back. I don’t think that’s the reason they did it, they did it as a joke, obviously.”
Markson suggested Cullen might have been the victim of unfortunate timing.
“It happened on Friday and he (Cullen) probably received the money on Friday night,” he said.
‘If I had known it was coming, I probably would have donated it to charity. I wouldn’t have thought he would have kept the money.

Legendary publicist Max Markson (pictured left with American actor Charlie Sheen) said Cullen was clearly joking and expected to receive payment.
Nine sources told Daily Mail Australia that the stunt could have been beneficial to the network, and to Portelli, if Cullen had informed the promoter that, as a journalist, he could not accept any payment for making the comment on air.
“What Alex should have done is refuse to accept money and tell Portelli to donate it directly to a charity, that is if he was going to get involved in the stunt,” a network insider told Daily Mail Australia.
However, Markson did not think this would cause any lasting damage to Cullen’s television career.
“Alex will be back on the air within a week, within a few days, I would have thought,” he said.
‘It’s not a big problem, it was a joke. It wasn’t just him, it was also Stefanovic, obviously, he was just joking.
Markson said Portelli, whom they called ‘Mr. Lambo’ in 2022 after turning up in a yellow Lamborghini to bid on renovated homes on the Nine show The Block, he got plenty of coverage for this latest stunt, including the front page of a Sydney newspaper.
“I think he has a great publicist, it’s not me, but he has a great publicist,” Markson said. “I know him.”
Although Markson thought Portelli was really fed up with his Lambo nickname, he had found a great angle to get more publicity out of him.

Cullen’s latest Instagram post is a selfie of him giving a thumbs up outside the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
“When you’re on a roll and you’ve got the coverage, you just keep marketing it, keep pushing it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cullen is receiving a lot of support from fans on social media.
His latest Instagram post is a selfie of him giving a thumbs up outside the Melbourne Rod Laver Arena, where the Australian Open is being held, with the simple caption “let’s go.”
‘You are the best presenter and that program will be nothing without you,’ reads the first comment.
‘What a humble and charming personality for morning television. I’m so sorry mate, I hope you’re okay x.’
“I’m so sorry for you,” another person wrote.
‘Just for the record, I won’t be watching Chanel 9 anymore. I hope something better comes out of this, you’re incredible, what a load of nonsense on Channel 9.’