Kerri-Anne Kennerley apologises amid claims she ‘slut-shamed’ her colleague on TV
Veteran TV presenter Kerri-Anne Kennerley has apologised following claims that she “slut-shamed” her colleague on TV, reaching out to 10 Daily senior reporter Antoinette Lattouf after their awkward exchange upset viewers.
Confidential
Don't miss out on the headlines from Confidential. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- MAFS bombshell as contestants blow the lid on Channel 9
- KAK settles feud with Yumi Stynes after on-air clash
Kerri-Anne Kennerley has apologised after claims that she slut-shamed her colleague on Studio 10 last week.
In a statement to Confidential, Channel 10 confirmed that Kennerley reached out to 10 daily senior reporter Antoinette Lattouf after their awkward exchange upset viewers.
“Kerri-Anne called Antoinette over the weekend and apologised for her comment. She reiterated her comment was not intended to cause offence. They had a respectful conversation and Antoinette accepted her apology,” a Network 10 spokesperson said.
Kennerley retreated to a golf course on Sunday amid growing crticism and would not comment when approached by Confidential.
“I’m good, sorry I can’t speak right now I’m on the golf course,” Kennerley, 66, said before hanging up.
It comes after Lattouf was left red-faced when Kennerley made blunt comments about her attire.
“Did you forget your pants today?” Kennerley asked Lattouf during a segment about modern-day dictionaries and emojis.
“It’s a ju … it’s a m... it’s a playsuit,” Lattouf stammered.
“A playsuit?” Kennerley replied laughing.
As fellow panellists Natarsha Belling and Joe Hildebrand nervously sat through the awkward moment, Angela Bishop tried to defend a visibly uncomfortable Lattouf.
“And she looks unbelievable!” Bishop interjected.
Not one to back down, Kennerley took another swipe: “And she’s going to be thirsty.”
The word “thirsty” is commonly used as slang in the US to describe someone who is desperate or trying too hard.
Frustrated viewers including feminist writer Clementine Ford vented their outrage on Twitter.
Why is Kerri-Anne Kennerley slut shaming her colleague here on @Studio10au? @antoinette_news deserves an apology Kerri-Anne needs to finally be put in the bin where she belongs. pic.twitter.com/JQCfxwZtLh
— Clementine Ford 🧟â€â™€ï¸ (@clementine_ford) December 14, 2019
Natarsha Belling‘s body language and near immediate moving along now†speaks volumes. It’s time for #KAK to take a permanent break from TV, period.
— Amanda Valentina💋 (@AmandaWorldwide) December 14, 2019
I don't understand why Kerri-Anne is still on television? Is this the best commentators Australia has to offer? I hope not https://t.co/MKNBrCzmf7
— Cate Lawrence (@Cate_Lawrence) December 14, 2019
“Why is Kerri-Anne Kennerley slut shaming her colleague here on @Studio10au ? @antoinette_news deserves an apology Kerri-Anne needs to finally be put in the bin where she belongs,” Ford tweeted.
Another viewer wrote: “I don’t understand why Kerri-Anne is still on television? Is this the best commentators Australia has to offer? I hope not. Natarsha Belling’s body language and near immediate ‘moving along now’ speaks volumes.”
“It’s time for #KAK to take a permanent break from TV, period,” a third person wrote.
Channel 10 did not respond to a request for comment.
Kennerley is no stranger to controversy, after her infamous clash with fellow panellist Yumi Stynes earlier this year.
During a debate about Australia Day and Invasion Day protesters, Kennerley said: “Has any one of them been out to the outback where children, babies and five-year-olds are being raped, their mothers are being raped, their sisters are being raped?”
Stynes accused her of “sounding racist”, which prompted an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. The media watchdog later cleared Channel 10 over complaints it had breached code 2.6.2 for airing the tense debate.
In May, Kennerley was accused of “transphobia” following her rant about Bill Shorten and Labor’s plans ahead of the election for a National Gender Centre to support transgender people.
“One thing I’m seriously outraged about, the millions and millions they’ll spend on a Gender Commission,” she said on Studio 10.
“If your child is confused, the rights of your child will go to them, you will have no rights as a parent. That child will go, ‘I want to be either a boy or girl, please give me whatever I need’ and you as a parent will have no choice.”
That same month, she took a swipe at Channel 9’s axing of The AFL Footy Show, after the same network unexpectedly scrapped her own show Mornings with Kerri-Anne back in 2011.
“But who would’ve thought a network would not tell the on-air talent that they were fired?” she asked sarcastically.
Kennerley joined Studio 10 last year and has been a familiar face on TV screens for more than five decades.