Home Australia Who will replace Alex Cullen? Major contenders to take Today show role are revealed after he was axed amid fallout from $50,000 Adrian Portelli gift

Who will replace Alex Cullen? Major contenders to take Today show role are revealed after he was axed amid fallout from $50,000 Adrian Portelli gift

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There is much speculation about who will replace Alex Cullen on the Today show after it was announced he was fired from the Nine Network on Friday.

There is much speculation about who will replace Alex Cullen on the Today show after it was announced he was fired from the Nine Network on Friday.

He parted ways with Nine after accepting $50,000 from The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

Cullen has hosted the weekend show since 2023 and is also a regular presenter on Wide World of Sports.

Favorites include Weekend Today presenter Clint Stanaway, who is currently replacing Cullen on the breakfast show.

Stanaway’s co-host Jayne Azzopardi is also a possible candidate to replace Cullen.

Azzopardi started at Nine in 2009 as a political journalist in Canberra before joining the Sydney newsroom in 2011.

There is much speculation about who will replace Alex Cullen on the Today show after it was announced he was fired from the Nine Network on Friday.

She was also previously a news anchor for Weekend Today and was appointed anchor in April 2023.

Tom Steinfort and Alicia Loxley, co-anchors of the 6pm news on 9News Melbourne, could also be in the running.

Steinfort is a former Weekend Today presenter who also worked on Nine’s current affairs show 60 Minutes.

Loxley joined Nine as a reporter in July 2008 and previously presented Weekend Today.

Today host Karl Stefanovic made the announcement that Cullen had left the network on air Friday morning.

“As most of you know, our colleague Alex Cullen was not on air with us last week,” a solemn Stefanovic told viewers.

‘There have been many 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 Today family 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 dearly missed, that’s for sure.

Favorites include Weekend Today host Clint Stanaway and his co-host Jayne Azzopardi.

Favorites include Weekend Today host Clint Stanaway and his co-host Jayne Azzopardi.

Also in the running are Tom Steinfort and Alicia Loxley, who co-anchor the 6pm news on 9News Melbourne.

Also in the running are Tom Steinfort and Alicia Loxley, who co-anchor the 6pm news on 9News Melbourne.

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

A Nine spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: “Nine has agreed with Today presenter and journalist Alex Cullen that he will terminate the network following a review of a recent incident.”

The scandal began when Portelli grew tired of his long-standing nickname ‘Mr. Lambo’ and offered the cash reward to the first person to use his new nickname on air, and Cullen did so on the Today show last Friday.

Block’s businessman then posted on Instagram what appeared to be a $50,000 wire transfer to the host.

Accepting cash, gifts or benefits to undermine journalistic independence and misusing a journalism position for personal gain are violations of the journalism code of ethics as defined by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance union.

The reckless stunt led to Cullen being suspended by Nine and he did not appear on the show while the network investigated the payment. The sum has been donated to charities by Portelli.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Adrian Portelli for comment.

On Tuesday, Cullen resurfaced on social media to share a birthday tribute to his daughters on Instagram.

Today host Karl Stefanovic made the announcement that Cullen had left the network on air Friday morning. Pictured: Today's co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo

Today host Karl Stefanovic made the announcement that Cullen had left the network on air Friday morning. Pictured: Today’s co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo

She posted a series of sweet photos of her twin daughters Audrey and Evie celebrating their sixth birthday.

Alex, who shares three children with wife Bonnie, also shared photos of his three-year-old son Max enjoying some low-key family time on the special day.

In one caption, she gushed: “Happy birthday to my darling girls Audrey and Evie.”

Although he did not mention Portelli’s scandal, he did obtain the support of his followers, who took advantage of the comments to share their hopes that he will soon return to the air.

One wrote: ‘Happy birthday to not watching channel nine up to your back’, while another said: ‘I miss you! You are the best! Wake up Channel 9.’

A third commented: ‘Beautiful girls. I can’t believe they’re already 6 years old! I just found out about the whole work drama. I hope it is resolved quickly.’

While a fourth wrote: ‘Boycott 9 until you come back!’ and another added: “Happy birthday ladies, hope to see you back home on the 9th very soon.”

Her Nine co-stars Karl and Belinda Russell also sent birthday messages to their two daughters.

Nine's Alex Cullen is receiving a lot of support from fans after being suspended from air.

Nine’s Alex Cullen is receiving a lot of support from fans after being suspended from air.

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

Nine’s split with Cullen went ahead despite Portelli’s claim that Cullen intended for the money to be paid to charities from the beginning.

Portelli published details of $25,000 payments made on his behalf to both 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.

‘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 leading public relations agent for 50 years, said earlier this week that although it was “not normal behaviour” for a presenter to accept such rewards, he believed Cullen had clearly done so in a light-hearted way.

Portelli has grown tired of his long-standing nickname 'Mr. Lambo' and offered the cash reward to the first person to use his new nickname on air, with Cullen obliging on the Today Show.

Portelli has grown tired of his long-standing nickname ‘Mr. Lambo’ and offered the cash reward to the first person to use his new nickname on air, with Cullen obliging on the Today Show.

“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,” he 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 did not think this would cause any lasting damage to Cullen’s television career and predicted he would be back on the air within seven days.

Nine insiders also told Daily Mail Australia that the stunt could have been beneficial to the network and Portelli, if Cullen had informed 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 showing up at a 2022 auction on the popular home renovation show The Block with a yellow Lamborghini.

Cullen joined Today for its relaunch five years ago. Initially solely the sports presenter, he took over news when Tracy Vo left the show and returned to 9News Perth.

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