Kyle and Jackie-O should hang their heads in shame following disgraceful Steve Smith stunt

KYLE, Jackie-O and the rest of KIIS FM should hang their heads in shame after their ill-fated and moronic stunt at the Steve Smith press conference.

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES — MARCH 29: An emotional Steve Smith is comforted by his father Peter as he confronts the media at Sydney International Airport on March 29, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were flown back to Australia following investigations into alleged ball tampering in South Africa. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

KYLE and Jackie-O, hang your heads in shame.

The shock jocks from KIIS FM, in a bid for cheap laughs and cheap publicity, dispatched one of their minions to Sydney International Airport on Thursday night to attend Steve Smith’s press conference.

The now-former Australian cricket captain had just stepped off an international flight from South Africa to front the media about the ball tampering scandal that has engulfed Australian cricket.

Smith was emotional throughout the press conference.

A clearly struggling and tearful Smith read a short statement to the assembled media before taking questions.

It was at this point KIIS FM staffer Peter Deppeler - more widely known as intern Pete - tried to make light of the situation, telling Smith that an incident with Tracey and Dean on Married at First Sight was “way worse” than the cheating furore.

“I want to let you know from the perspective [of the] non-sports community of Australians, to see you upset tonight is very sad,” Deppeler said.

Peter Deppeler, known as Intern Pete from the Kyle and Jackie O, show posted a video to Twitter from the press conference before his disgraceful comment. Picture: Twitter

“Mate I’ve got to tell you...hold your head high for what you have done because what’s actually been worse is what Davina and Dean did on Married At First Sight.”

Cricket NSW representatives moved quickly to shut KIIS FM and Deppeler down.

But the damage was done.

WARNER: “I apologise for my part”

BANCROFT: “I lied. I panicked”

SMITH: “I’m sorry. I’m devastated”

Whatever Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft did during the third Test in Cape Town - they are still human. They are all struggling with the gravity of the situation their actions have wrought.

There sat a broken man.

There sat a young man struggling with the weight of a country’s disappointment. The weight of a team’s disappointment. The weight of his family’s disappointment.

How can anyone view the KIIS FM stunt with anything but contempt, regardless of how you see Smith in the wake of the ball tampering scandal.

Shame on KIIS FM. Shame on Kyle and Jackie-O. And shame on the staffer who made light of an emotionally-charged situation many of us will forever fail to grasp.

That person, who I will not call a journalist, should be banned from ever going to a press conference again. I think it was from the @kyleandjackieo show - whoever you are, you are an idiot.

— Rebecca Maddern (@RebeccaMaddern9) March 29, 2018

And another high water mark for the Kyle & Jackie O show.... Fella is breaking down in front of the country & you throw a tool in........

— Kurt Fearnley (@kurtfearnley) March 29, 2018

The person from the @kyleandjackieo who made a statement during the Smith remarks - utterly ill-judged and awful.

— Leigh Sales (@leighsales) March 29, 2018

And hang your heads in shame the @kyleandjackieo show. That was a truly disgraceful stunt.

— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) March 29, 2018

Did @kyleandjackieo seriously send someone to the Steve smith presser to ask a stunt question for a bit of publicity? What a joke. And people wonder why the media is hated at times. Honestly.

— Sharnelle Vella (@SharnelleVella) March 29, 2018