‘Very difficult time’: Nine star Alex Cullen breaks silence after shock axing

Today show presenter Alex Cullen has spoken out for the first time since he was sacked by Nine for accepting a $50,000 cash gift.

Today show presenter Alex Cullen has spoken out for the first time since he was sacked by Nine for accepting a $50,000 gift from Block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

The embattled journalist took to social media on Sunday to thank his supporters just days after it was announced he would no longer be a presenter on the breakfast program.

“A quick note from me,” Cullen began in his post, which features a photo of him and his three-year-old son Max.

“This has been a very difficult time and I just want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who reached out. It means the world to me and my young family. I will miss my colleagues at Today and wish them the best. Thank you again and I look forward to whatever comes next.”

MORE:Portelli vows to help Ch9 star after $50k scandal

Alex Cullen broke his silence on his axing by sharing a photo with his son Max.

It was Cullen’s Nine colleague Karl Stefanovic that announced the news on air on Friday that after Cullen would not be returning to the Today show.

“As most of you are well aware, our colleague Alex Cullen has not been on air with us this past week,” Stefanovic said.

“There has been widespread reporting on the circumstances surrounding this. What I can say is that last night, Alex and Nine agreed that he would finish with the network.

“Alex has, of course, been part of the Today family for five years now, he’s always ready with a smile and a laugh and without hesitation speaking for all of us here, we can say that we are going to miss him terribly, that’s for sure.”

Cullen was let go by Nine for partaking in an on-air stunt with Block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

Days before his sudden axing, Cullen was at the centre of a bizarre controversy in which he accepted a huge cash gift from one of Australia’s most public billionaires for partaking in an on-air stunt.

Mr Portelli had announced last week that he was sick of the “Lambo man” nickname frequently used to refer to him in public, so he put a call out to the media — a $50,000 prize to the first journalist or presenter who would publicly refer to him by his new preferred nickname, “McLaren Man.”

Portelli shared a screenshot of a $50,000 he sent to Cullen after the stunt. Picture: Supplied/Instagram

Cullen obliged, calling Mr Portelli by the new nickname on-air during the Today show’s January 17 episode, and true to his word, Portelli shared a screenshot of a bank transfer that appeared to show he had indeed sent $50,000 straight over to Cullen’s bank account.

The fallout was swift, with his employer none too pleased with what had very publicly transpired.

“Nine is taking this matter extremely seriously,” a Nine spokesperson said in a statement to news.com.au.

“Appropriate action has been promptly taken, including arranging for the funds to be returned.

“While we review the circumstances in which this occurred, Alex has agreed to stand down.”

Mr Portelli later insisted on social media that Cullen had intended to donate the money to charity, and donated the returned funds himself.

“Alex Cullen … on behalf of you, mate, $25,000 to the Salvation Army and $25,000 to the RSPCA,” he wrote.

But the damage was done and days later Nine and Cullen parted ways.