Ten years ago, on May 5, 2014, some of the most famous paparazzi photographs of all time were taken on a Sydney street when billionaire James Packer and his best friend David Gyngell became involved in their now legendary Bondi brawl.
It created a huge furore at the time, which went far beyond the posh Bondi beach neighborhood, where men were throwing punches at each other.
These extraordinary photographs show the moment two of Australia’s richest men (both media giants in Australia at the time) began fighting in the street after falling out.
Packer and Gyngell had been friends since childhood, and Gyngell was best man at Packer’s wedding to his second wife, Erica Baxter, a marriage that ended in 2013.
At the time, Packer owned Channel 9 and Gyngell was its CEO.
Ten years ago, on May 5, 2014, some of the most famous paparazzi photographs of all time were taken on a Sydney street when billionaire James Packer and his best friend David Gyngell became involved in their now legendary Bondi brawl ( in the photo).
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Gyngell, now 58, apparently confronted his friend outside his Sydney home that fateful day, and the pair began rowing.
They had to be separated by bodyguards and were subsequently fined $500 each for “offensive behavior.”
Gyngell accepted responsibility for the fight and pledged to cooperate with the police investigation into the incident.
“He fully accepts he was the instigator of the incident,” a spokesman said. “Clearly, if he had not shown up at Packer’s premises angry, the confrontation would never have happened.”
Although their mutual frustrations escalated into violence, the couple soon told friends they regretted the fight and insisted they would remain on good terms.
Gyngell’s wife, Leila McKinnon, soon mocked the controversy, comparing it to the feud between Beyoncé’s wife, Jay-Z, and her sister Solange Knowles.
“Okay, they’re much better dressed and a little more low-key, but today I feel a kinship with Beyoncé, Solange and Jay Z,” he tweeted.
Solange was caught on camera at the Standard Hotel in New York savagely attacking Jay Z after the Met Gala after-party, requiring burly security guards to break up the fight.
Mrs McKinnon’s light-hearted attack on her husband and his godfather was well received by her Twitter followers.
Gyngell stopped running Channel 9 in 2005, but returned to the network in September 2007.
The fight continued as his bodyguards (pictured) tried to separate the couple.
One of the bodyguards appears in the photo looking in apparent disbelief at what was happening.
Both wrestlers were wearing exercise equipment when they did the exercise they weren’t expecting.
Packer appeared to have a word in Gyngell’s ear in this photo from the fight.
Gyngell accepted responsibility for the fight and pledged to cooperate with the police investigation into the incident. Both were later fined $500 each for “offensive behavior.”
He resigned again in 2015 after eight years at the helm of the network.
Packer, 56, sold his Channel 9 between 2006 and 2008 to focus on casinos and tourism.
After struggling with her weight on and off over the years, she has bounced back and lost over 33kg in the last two years.
The billionaire mogul recently showed off the results of his weight loss while enjoying an afternoon stroll in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
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James Packer and David Gyngell are descendants of families that created television in Australia and were friends for much of their lives.
Packer is the grandson of Sir Frank Packer, who founded the station that would eventually become the Nine Network, Australia’s first commercial television network.
His father was Kerry Packer, known for transforming the world of cricket when he paid many of the world’s top stars to join a breakaway league in the 1970s.
When James inherited the business empire, he invested in several casinos in Australia and Southeast Asia.
Mr. Gyngell was the barefoot fighter in his battle with Mr. Packer.
Mr. Packer had the advantage of being taller and physically larger.
He eventually walked away while his bodyguards comforted Mr Gyngell as he lay on the ground.
He married Erica Baxter in 2007 and the couple has three children together, but announced they were separating in September 2013.
Packer was at one point a close friend of Tom Cruise and publicly flirted with adopting the actor’s Scientology faith.
Gyngell is the son of Bruce Gyngell, who helped Sir Frank Packer create the Nine Network and became the first person to appear on a national television broadcast in 1956.
He became friends with Mr Packer when they both attended Cranbrook private school in Sydney, and they have remained close since.
Gyngell is married to Channel Nine presenter Leila McKinnon.
My Gyngell (pictured) spent most of her life working at Channel 9
He is married to Channel 9 presenter Leila McKinnon (pictured)
