Sunrise wades in to Today’s Pauline Hanson controversy

Pauline Hanson’s dumping from Today has sparked an unlikely war of words between Sam Armytage and another popular TV presenter.

Pauline Hanson’s sudden dumping from Today has kickstarted an unlikely stoush involving rival breakfast program Sunrise and Australian performer Julia Zemiro, with Sunrise host Sam Armytage labelling Zemiro’s claims “BS.”

Hanson has been dropped by Channel 9 after an on-air rant against the Melbourne residents trapped inside nine housing commission towers during Monday’s episode of Today.

In a fiery segment she called the tower residents “drug addicts” who should have learnt English before coming to Australia.

The backlash was swift, and by later in the day Hanson had been dropped.

Pauline Hanson on Today yesterday morning.

Enter actor and ABC Home Delivery host Julia Zemiro, who tweeted yesterday that she had “long said no to going on Sunrise to promote anything because they continue to invite Hanson on regularly. The Today show has been added to the list.”

Pauline Hanson has in the past been a regular guest on both Seven and Nine’s breakfast programs.

But Zemiro’s tweet prompted a rebuttal from Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell, who labelled her assertion “incorrect”:

Well that’s just not true. You came on @sunriseon7 last year. Plus, we don’t continue to invite Pauline on regularly. You’re incorrect. It’s also incorrect to say we have even asked you on in 2020 @julia_zemiro. You can’t decline when you haven’t been invited. https://t.co/pJ8pwd3J8y

— Michael Pell (@MichaelPell) July 6, 2020

“And you haven’t asked me on in 2020 as by mid March, all work disappeared. There’s nothing to promote,” Zemiro replied, before conceding she had still made occasional appearances on Seven in her duties as artistic director of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

“In 2019, I requested no in studio interviews with Kochie and Mel on sunrise breakfast. There were 2 live crosses from Adelaide 7 with the weather cross on site. As you know, contractually we are obliged to do certain spots. But my request not to be front and centre was heard,” she tweeted to Pell.

Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell. Picture: Renee Nowytarger

Julia Zemiro. Picture: Diana Melfi

But Pell pointed out that “Kochie and Mel” haven’t hosted Sunrise since Sam Armytage took over from Melissa Doyle in 2013.

“Julia, with respect, you don’t even know who the hosts of Sunrise are. We didn’t ask you to come into the studio to promote the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and never would. Plus, Pauline hasn’t been a regular for near 18 months. Your stance seems meaningless and just for show.”

Zemiro ended the back-and-forth by acknowledging her confusion and suggesting a ceasefire: “Tomayto/Tomahto. Mel/Sam. Hanson/(Prue) MacSween. Let’s call the whole thing off.”

But not before Sunrise host Armytage waded in with this fiery tweet labelling Zemiro “a woman who was happy to take the money of a FTA tv network when it suited her, & host its upfronts”:

Ladies & gents, I give you ‘The Sisterhood’ in all its glory 2020-style.
Also a woman who was happy to take the money of a FTA tv network when it suited her, & host its upfronts.
I was happy to stay out of this (factually incorrect) conversation, but this BS is just too much😂🤷‍♀️ https://t.co/uHuxSlOSrx

— Samantha Armytage (@sam_armytage) July 7, 2020

Channel 7 has previously copped heat for giving regular airtime to the One Nation leader on Sunrise. Back in 2016, Sunrise admitted to paying Senator Hanson for regular appearances in lead up to the election. Back in 2004, she appeared as a contestant on the first season of Seven’s Dancing with the Stars.

As Hanson’s latest controversy exploded yesterday, Nine’s director of news and current affairs Darren Wick said in a statement they had axed her “news chat” segment altogether.

“We don’t shy away from diverse opinions and robust debate on the Today show. But this morning’s accusations from Pauline Hanson were ill-informed and divisive. At a time of uncertainty in this national and global health crisis, Australians have to be united and supportive of one another. We need to get through this together.”