Television veteran Georgie Gardner was noticeably absent from her news reading slot on Friday night.
The Channel Nine presenter reads the news every Friday and Saturday night for the network, but did not appear in its publication this week and was replaced by Mark Burrows.
Her absence comes after a fierce studio confrontation between the 54-year-old and a junior producer last month.
The star broadcaster, who earns $600,000 a year for presenting the news twice a week, exploded at his junior colleague during the Saturday night news bulletin on August 31.
A television source told Daily Mail Australia that the alleged incident was due to the way Gardner’s scripts had been prepared before airing.
“Georgie turned up in a terrible mood,” they said.
“She didn’t think the summary was satisfactory or the way the (news) introductions were written, and she basically said it was bullshit.”
“The atmosphere was tense and she insisted on rewriting the introductions herself.
Television veteran Georgie Gardner was noticeably absent from her news reading slot on Friday night.
“The junior producer (who Daily Mail Australia chose not to name) said she wasn’t done with them yet, prompting Georgie to walk up behind her and shout at her to “grow up.”
According to the source, the heated discussion continued in the studio as the scripts were loaded onto the teleprompter.
At least part of the exchange was apparently recorded and turned over to management for an internal investigation following an official complaint.
“It was intense, but a lot of people were there and witnessed the argument,” the source said.
Gardner disappeared from his regular weekend news-reading duties for two weeks after the alleged altercation.
However, she was reportedly on scheduled leave and returned to work last Friday night.
Nine has declined to comment publicly on the complaint filed against Gardner.
However, the network’s director of news and current affairs Fiona Dear said in a statement: ‘Georgie Gardner is a long-standing and highly respected member of our Nine News team.
“We offer no further comment.”
There is no suggestion that Gardner engaged in inappropriate conduct, only that a complaint has been made and an investigation is underway.
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed that the star news presenter, who earns $600,000 a year for presenting the news twice a week, exploded at a junior colleague during the Saturday night news bulletin on August 31.
