Channel 9 presenter agrees to stand down over $50k gift from Adrian Portelli

Channel 9 has taken Today show presenter Alex Cullen off air after he accepted a $50,000 prize from Melbourne billionaire Adrian Portelli for referring to him as ‘McLaren Man’ on national TV.

Channel 9 Today show reporter Alex Cullen has been stood down. Picture: Instagram

Channel 9 has taken Today show presenter Alex Cullen off air after he accepted a $50,000 prize from Melbourne billionaire Adrian Portelli for referring to him as “McLaren Man” on national TV.

Cullen agreed to stand down on Saturday after the Sunday Herald Sun reported that the payment had been made.

Channel 9 confirmed that Cullen will return the money to Portelli after it was made aware of the transaction.

“Nine is taking this matter extremely seriously,” a spokesperson said.

“Appropriate action has been promptly taken, including arranging for the funds to be returned.

“While we review the circumstances in which this occurred, Alex has agreed to stand down.”

Melbourne billionaire Adrian Portelli awarded the reporter a $50k prize. Picture: David Crosling

Portelli, who founded trade promotions and rewards company LMCT+, shot to fame when he appeared on the 2022 season of Channel 9’s The Block, rolling into the show’s auction in a bright orange Lamborghini Murcielago SV.

He was labelled Mr Lambo and Lambo Guy by the media, but has long tired of the nicknames, cheekily putting a call out to media last week promising to gift $50,000 to the first person who called him ‘McLaren Man’ on air.

Portelli no longer wants to be referred to by the ‘Lambo’ tag as he finds it disrespectful.

Cullen was quick to oblige on Friday morning, making the reference during a Today cross from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park to Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo in the show’s Sydney HQ.

But he was not the only journalist to try and win the prize.

While Cullen got the phrase out first, Stefanovic was not far behind repeating the name with the two laughing and joking over the exchange.

Cullen later posted a clip of the exchange on his Instagram.

Portelli reposted the clip writing: “I think we have a winner.”

On Friday night, Portelli posted a screen grab of a bank transfer, which showed the transfer of $50,000 to Cullen with the comment: “We have a winner! Well played sir.”

Alex Cullen has been in Melbourne covering the Australian Open. Picture: Today/Channel Nine

Cullen has worked in journalism since the early 2000s, eventually landing his “dream TV job” on the Today show in 2019.

After the Sunday Herald Sun reported the payment shown on Portelli’s social media account, he offered a $5000 payment to his followers for the best comment on this reporter’s social media account.

In November, Portelli snapped up all five houses on the latest season of The Block, splurging more than $15m to buy up the entire Phillip Island compound.

One month later, he was charged with nine counts of conducting or assisting in the conduct of an unlawful lottery, with his business charged with the same offence.

It is alleged the company did not hold a licence to conduct lotteries in South Australia.

Portelli told a court last week he wants the case taken to trial “as quickly as possible”.

They face a maximum $190,000 penalty, but Portelli said that, if convicted, he would “round it up to $200,000” provided authorities “stop wasting people’s money”.

Portelli has tired of the nicknames Mr Lambo and Lambo Guy. Picture: Instagram

Portelli has a long history of making generous donations to individuals and causes.

He has also in the past offered incentives for his followers to do certain things.

In November last year, he spent more than $40,000 on a double cheeseburger meal at a McDonald’s in the Melbourne suburb of Derrimut after taking part in McHappy Day.

After his stint selling burgers, he bought a $12.60 large double cheeseburger meal with fries and a vanilla coke. With the opportunity to make a donation, he did, adding $40,000 to the bill and bringing his total for the midday snack to $40,012.60.

In May last year, Portelli bet Block host Scott Cam $10,000 he would not down a shot of booze at a dinner on Phillip Island.

Cam downed the shot and, a man of his word, Portelli transferred the money to Cam’s account on the spot.

Cam gladly donated the money to two charities.

Originally published as Channel 9 presenter agrees to stand down over $50k gift from Adrian Portelli