Mel Greig and Michael Christian
The Australian DJs who made a hoax call to the King Edward VII Hospital where Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, had been admitted, have been banned by their station. Amid global outrage, Mel Greig and Michael Christian of 2DayFM in Sydney have been taken off the air following the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha, 46, the receptionist they duped into transferring a call to another nurse in Catherine’s ward—who then revealed details of her condition.
Pregnant Kate Middleton was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital a few days ago due to acute morning sickness. In an attempt to get information about the duchess’ condition, the DJs made a call to the hospital with Greig posing as Queen Elizabeth and Christian as Prince Charles in the background.
The DJs were clearly thrilled by the publicity they were getting. They talked about their “accomplishment” on their radio show and Twitter, saying “it was the easiest prank call ever made and that their accent was the “worst ever.”
Early on Friday, Jacintha Saldanha, who had been at the center of the controversy, was found dead after a suspected suicide at an address yards away from the hospital. News of the nurse’s death stunned the world, resulting in the outpouring of sympathy and condolences on the web.
The DJs have become the subject of hate messages and public backlash across social media outlets. The management of 2Day FM announced the duo wouldn’t be returning on air until further notice.
A malicious joke meant to be lighthearted fun has resulted in a shocking twist to the story. If you were to ask haters, they would say the DJs should be sacked and taken off the air for good.
Images: Southern Cross Austero / 2Day FM Facebook Page