Sharp Shooting: Olympian set to try out for Cullen’s gig, Singleton’s bid to get Hadley back on air

Aussie millionaire John Singleton has a new woman on his arms.

OPINION

This column did a double take when we learned that a resurgent John Singleton now poised to return to media ownership had picked up a new filly at the Magic Millions’ horse sales on the Gold Coast last month.

Who could she be, we wondered while scouring social photos captured by News Corp’s Queensland-based photographer Luke Marsden for a clue.

While our horse racing contacts assured us Singo’s new fancy was an actual filly, a long-legged almost black two-year-old out of Lady Piaf which the legendary punter bought from stud Coolmore for $875,000, sources within Singleton’s inner circle assured us there was also a woman on his arm at the sales.

A little digging quickly produced a name – Kim Dennis.

John Singleton now poised to return to media ownership had picked up a new filly at the Magic Millions’ horse

But hang on. Dennis, as longtime readers will recall, was Singleton’s live-in girlfriend in 2022 prior to his latest failed courtship/marriage and divorce.

The pair met when Singleton owned Macquarie Media and Dennis worked in the company’s sales for his Sydney radio station 2GB.

They officially became a couple in 2021 and by year’s end single mother-of-two Dennis, then 50, had moved into his Mt White home to care for the octogenarian after he was diagnosed with heart failure and fluid on the lungs.

She must have done a reasonable job as his carer for within the year later there was talk Dennis could be in line to become the seventh Mrs Singleton.

The role would see her follow optimistically in the footsteps of his former wives of Margaret Wall, Maggie Eckhart, Belinda Green, Liz Hayes, Julie Martin and Jennifer Murrant.

By Christmas and after 18 months together however the multi-millionaire had ended the relationship.

Steve Price (right) and Kim Dennis (left) pictured during the Sydney Airport 100 Year Gala Event at Sydney

Kim Dennis, latest ex of John Singleton, with father Wayne Alan Dennis. Source: Facebook

Within three months old charmer Singo was back on the hustings and chatting up a different blonde, coincidentally yet another radio sales rep, this one from Gosford, Sarah Warry.

Five months later he and Warry were married but the union, forged via cheeky text over a mutual love of radio and working out, would last just seven months.

In March 2024 he announced it was over.

Having followed and reported on Singleton’s relationships and marriages for three decades, this writer isn’t prepared to speculate on how serious Singleton and Dennis might be this time ‘round.

We’ll leave that to Dennis, who, for a brief moment dated former 2GB radio commentator Steve Price.

When asked by one inquisitive soul last month if she and Singleton were back together, Dennis offered a pragmatic “For now.”

Small steps guys. Small steps.

‘Nightmare’: Olympic legend groomed by Nine

Olympic darling Cate Campbell is yet to master the autocue but that didn’t stop Nine from thrusting the statuesque retired swimmer before its TV cameras this week as the search for a presenter to replace disgraced Today star Alex Cullen broadens.

Campbell is being groomed as a potential substitute for sports reader Cullen who was sacked from Nine’s Today show last month after banking $50,000 from Melbourne entrepreneur Adrian Portelli.

Campbell, 32, was given a three-day tryout in Cullen’s chair.

Nine signed the newly retired Campbell to a contract last year prior to the Paris Games.

This week’s trial is seen as an attempt by the broadcaster to find the Olympian a role that will keep her gainfully and productively employed and tie her over until the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The 100m freestyle world record holder acknowledged her inexperience – and nerves – on Thursday.

“Such a fun three days on (Today) presenting the sport. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I’m used to being the ‘guest’ not the ‘presenter’ and I’ve never read an autocue before,” the Queensland swimmer posted to social media.

Cate Campbell is being groomed as a potential substitute for sports reader Alex Cullen

“As a perfectionist, not being good at something is a nightmare, and the fear of failure used to stop me from taking on new challenges. But everyone has to start and learn somewhere, even if it is on live TV.”

According to Nine insiders, Campbell is being promoted by Nine’s highest paid identity Karl Stefanovic, a fellow Queenslander.

Stefanovic has a lot of sway at Today. Some have said too much but the jury is still out on acting CEO Matt Stanton although he does appear to be giving the Today host his head at the moment.

Stefanovic also shares a great affection for departed Nine sports anchor Erin Molan, who at one time might have been a contender for the now vacant Today sports presenter role.

That was prior to 2021 when Molan left Nine following an unsavoury and public fallout with Nine’s star rugby league commentator Andrew “Joey” Johns.

Their feud produced months of negative newspaper headlines, embarrassing Nine.

Sports presenter Roz Kelly later filled the void left by Molan, with whom it’s said there has long been a fierce professional rivalry.

Kelly has emerged as an early favourite to replace Cullen but with Stefanovic lobbying who’s to say who might score the gig.

Swipe at Raygun over TV knock-back

Was a Channel 7 news story showing Rachael “Raygun” Gunn falling over on a nightclub dancefloor a vengeful swipe at the Olympic breakdancer for knocking back the broadcaster’s invitation to star on the latest series Dancing with the Stars?

It certainly looked that way to those close enough to be at risk of being taken out by a random helicopter arm.

Last weekend Seven’s Weekend Sunrise presented a tiny chunk of footage which showed Gunn unintentionally hitting the deck on the dancefloor at a Darlinghurst nightclub.

Days earlier this column had revealed the breakdancer had declined an invitation to appear on the 2025 season of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS).

Raygun hanging out with the rich and famous, including Richard Branson. Picture: Instagram

The approach was confirmed by Gunn’s management Born Bred but oddly denied by Seven.

We were left with the impression Raygun’s snub had been difficult for Seven and DWTS co-producer ITV Studios to accept after ITV made repeated advances to try and sign the breaker.

So what does the network do? It pulls out a few seconds of unflattering footage of Raygun taking a tumble after having a couple of drinks on a night out.

At least co-presenter Sally Bowry could relate: “I’ve got very similar vision of myself doing that,” she ventured softly.

The footage, we’re told, was shot earlier this month at Universal in Darlinghurst.

Private school’s war

One of the stories to dominate Sydney media last year involved prestigious boys school Cranbrook, the alma mater of businessmen Kerry and James Packer, comedian Garry McDonald and Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes.

Following the controversial decision to take the school co-ed, the school’s executive and board went to war in 2022 and 2023.

In March 2024 the ABC’s Four Corners aired a program exposing the continued employment of a male teacher who once shared correspondence about his sexual fantasies with a former female student from another school.

The teacher was later suspended while the school’s headmaster Nicholas Sampson resigned amid claims a toxic and sexist culture pervaded at the school.and “due to an irrevocable breakdown of trust between the Headmaster and the School Council”.

British national Sampson later received a confidential settlement from the school thought to have been worth around $1 million, the equivalent of one year’s pay.

His next move was to lodge a complaint with the ABC Ombudsman saying the Four Corners report was “wildly inaccurate”.

In a statement released to media he said: “It is gravely concerning that our own national broadcaster is prepared to broadcast dishonest and biased reporting callously and unfairly impacting so many.”

Then he went to ground.

Eight months on and following whispers he relocated to his property in the Southern Highlands, Sampson has finally resurfaced.

Last month he and the divorced ex-Cranbrook mum/caterer with whom he previously lived on campus in the headmaster’s house, Maja Will, turned up in, of all places, the home of rocker Jimmy Barnes and wife Jane.

Turns out Sampson and Barnes are neighbours and the ex Cranbrook head and his partner were guests at Jane’s 67th birthday luncheon at which a bearded Sampson was seated at the head of a table and seemingly in pride of place between Barnes and his brother-in-law Diesel.

It wasn’t where we next expected to see him either.