Sunrise’s David Koch shares terrifying details from Lindt Cafe siege

The Sunrise presenter was close to tears in a radio interview as he shared never before heard details about a terrifying security threat.

David ‘Kochie’ Koch was on the verge of tears as he spoke for the first time about how he was tracked down by police and whisked to safety on the day of the Lindt Cafe siege.

The Sunrise presenter reflected on the terrifying incident during an interview with Triple M’s Rush Hour with Leisel Jones, Liam and Dobbo, which was obtained by news.com.au before it airs this afternoon.

“I’ve never talked about it,” Kochie said when asked about the events of December 15, 2014. “It had a massive impact on both Nat (Natalie Barr) and I.

“The bloke involved in that (Man Haron Monis) was on our security watch list because he’d tried to get to me a few times,” the Channel 7 presenter told the Triple M hosts.

Six years before the siege, Monis had confronted Koch and other Sunrise presenters as they mingled with fans outside the Martin Place studios.

Monis was upset about a segment that had aired on the show and he reportedly accused the hosts of being “terrorists” before he was removed by security.

On the morning of the Lindt Cafe siege, Kochie left the Channel 7 studios when Sunrise was over and went to a gym three blocks away.

He was exercising with a mate when news of the hostage situation first broke.

“I remember I got a call … (saying) ‘can I come to (the gym’s) reception,’” Kochie said.

On the other end of the phone was the police, who were worried that Kochie could be one of Monis’ targets.

According to the Sunrise host, the police told him: “We’re coming to pick you up, take you home, you stay there until we tell you.’”

A scene from Channel 7’s coverage of the Lindt Cafe siege.

Kochie said the events of that day “had a massive impact” on him and forced him to take his security much more seriously.

“I have a car that I haven’t driven since because the police said it’s too distinctive,” he said.

During the interview, Rush Hour co-host and Olympic gold medallist Leisel Jones revealed that she was very nearly caught up in the terror attack which claimed the lives of cafe manager Tori Johnson and lawyer Katrina Dawson.

“I was actually supposed to be in the Lindt Cafe,” Jones, who was working at the nearby Westpac building at time, said. “(But) I didn’t want hot chocolate, I chose coffee.”

You can hear the full interview with Kochie on Triple M’s Rush Hour with Leisel Jones, Liam and Dobbo Thursday from 4pm