Jessica Rowe still angry at Eddie McGuire over ‘boning’ saga

Jessica Rowe made it clear on radio this morning that she still hasn’t forgiven Eddie McGuire for the infamous 2006 “boning” saga.

Jessica Rowe has made it clear she still hasn’t forgiven Eddie McGuire for the infamous 2006 “boning” saga.

Rowe was a guest on Kyle and Jackie O this morning to promote her new podcast,

The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show.

Her first guest on the podcast was Karl Stefanovic, who she co-hosted the Today show with in 2006 before she was sacked by McGuire (who was the CEO of the Nine Network at the time).

“Karl and I hadn’t spoken in 15 years,” Rowe told Kyle and Jackie O this morning. “The last time I saw Karl was when I left the Today show, was sacked.

“There was a big part of me over the years, I was resentful of how he went on to more and more success and I felt like, ‘What’s happened to me?’” Rowe said.

Karl Stefanovic with Jessica Rowe in 2006.

The podcast made headlines with Stefanovic breaking down in tears and admitting he should have done more to protect Rowe during her time at Channel 9.

“He actually apologised to me which I didn’t expect,” she said.

Rowe told the radio duo she was keen to talk to Stefanovic because she felt it was “really important to lay that resentment aside, because it’s not healthy for you”.

But Rowe’s clearly not ready to lay her resentment towards McGuire aside.

On KIIS FM, Kyle suggested that she should invite McGuire onto her podcast.

“No,” Rowe replied with a nervous laugh.

“You won’t put him on to apologise?” Kyle asked.

“I don’t think he would,” Rowe said.

“I think he might. He might have grown up as well,” Kyle said.

“Well, let’s hope so,” Rowe said. “I wish him well in the sense that we have all moved on, but still, even though I was talking about letting go … we still mute him (McGuire) when he comes on (on Millionaire Hot Seat) before Pete’s (Overton) news.”

“Oh my god!” a shocked Jackie O said. “It still cuts deep.”

Jessica Rowe with Eddie McGuire at the SCG in Sydney in 2006.

Much to Rowe’s dismay, Kyle then suggested he would call McGuire live on air and ask him if he’d be willing to appear on The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show.

“No, no, no,” Rowe pleaded. “No, don’t, I’m going to do a nervous poo.”

Kyle ignored Rowe’s obvious discomfort and dialled McGuire’s number which rung out and went to voicemail.

The KIIS FM host left a message saying: “Hey Eddie, it’s Kyle and Jackie O. I’d like to facilitate you appearing on Jessica Rowe’s podcast to apologise for the boning and all that horrible sh*t back in the day when you were obviously the CEO of Channel 9 and you were trying to be one of the tough boys. I reckon it would be good. Karl cried, he apologised. The time is now. Get back to me and I’ll facilitate it. Thanks Eddie, bye.”

“Oh my god,” Rowe said after Kyle ended the voicemail. “My tummy was in terrible knots Kyle.”

THE BONING SAGA IN DETAIL

Rowe joined the Today show as co-host alongside Stefanovic in January 2006. But McGuire, who was the CEO of the Nine Network at the time, was less than impressed with Rowe’s performance.

It’s claimed that in May 2006, he said to former Nine News director Mark Llewellyn and other Nine executives: “What are we going to do about Jessica? When should we bone her? I reckon it should be next week.”

McGuire’s comments were leaked in the media. He denied ever using the term “bone”, instead maintaining he said “burn”.

Eddie McGuire in 2006. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

Sacked Channel 9 news director Mark Llewellyn in 2006.

Llewellyn, who defected to Seven, told Crikey in 2011: “Not only do I remember Eddie McGuire saying what he said, I remember how he looked as he said it. Including his smirk as he used the ‘bone’ word.”

Rowe left Channel 9 in 2007 and later said that McGuire “made my life hell” during his tenure at the network.

In 2016, McGuire spoke to GQ about the saga and admitted he felt bad for Rowe.

“I know Jessica’s been saying how hurt she was by it and I’ve deliberately not wanted to pick the scab on this,” he said. “She was the drive-by victim in all of this – she didn’t deserve any of it, and I feel deeply about that.

“She was the unwitting victim of a fight; she bore the brunt of it and that was terrible.”