Barry Hall seeks help from Our Watch charity after Triple M on-air meltdown

FORMER Triple M commentator Barry Hall has received counselling from a women’s anti-violence charity about his on-air meltdown in June — saying he now understands how his comments offended others.

FORMER Triple M commentator Barry Hall has received counselling from a women’s anti-violence charity about his on-air meltdown.

Hall was sacked from the radio station when he made an inappropriate comment about a pregnancy procedure of Leigh Montagna’s wife.

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Barry Hall and his son Miller, 15 months, at home on the Gold Coast. Picture: Adam Head.

The former Swans and Saints power forward told the Sunday Herald Sun that he sought advice from violence prevention organisation Our Watch about his comments in the wake of the scandal.

“I was on a Skype call for two hours and I really understand it now,” Hall said.

“Sexual abuse victims wrote to me and they were really affected by what I said.

“It was a silly, naive comment that was meant to be funny and it wasn’t.”

Hall, 41, lost contracts with clothing brand Hammersmith and several speaking functions with the Sydney Swans.

He said he was scared to pick up his phone or check his email for two weeks after the June incident because he kept receiving messages from companies wanting to end their association.

Our Watch, a charity that drives culture change to prevent violence against women and their children, said Hall voluntarily contacted them.

“Our Watch was pleased to be approached by Barry in his quest to understand how and why remarks that are disrespectful to women perpetuate gender inequality in the community,” chief executive Patty Kinnersly said.

“Barry was conscious that his and the other commentators’ actions had been hurtful, and he recognised the need to improve his understanding by seeking advice.”

Hall also revealed that Leigh Montagna and Mark Howard had reached out to him after he was sacked from Triple M. Damian Barrett and Nathan Brown were also in the commentary box.

He said that he had become too comfortable when he made the comments live on air.

“When boys are around boys they talk in a certain way. I was comfortable in that environment,” he said.

“I was one of the guys who didn’t understand. But it’s not going to happen again.”

Hall said that he was now looking for work, with only one sponsor, Castlemaine Rod Shop, sticking by him.

Heath Waddington, co-owner of the company said: “He was straight up. He apologised straight away. He was surprised we were still going to go ahead and do something, but he knew he’d made a mistake.”

He said his partner Lauren, a former Hi-5 star, was now working to build a clothing brand after giving up work following the birth of their son Miller.

Hall has now become a stay-at-home dad for the short term while he looks for more work.

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