Ex-colleagues torch Marty Sheargold after radio host is cut by Triple M
A prominent Aussie comedian and a TV presenter have slammed Marty Sheargold after he was cut by Triple M over his Matildas comments.
Ex-colleagues of disgraced radio presenter Marty Sheargold have slammed the now former Triple M star following his public comments about the Matildas and women’s sport.
Sheargold parted ways with the station following his comments live on-air on Monday, which have drawn widespread criticism from across the sporting landscape.
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Now female presenters that have worked with Sheargold in the past are voicing their feelings towards the 53-year-old.
Well-known comedian, author and podcaster Meshel Laurie worked with Sheargold and Tim Blackwell on the Meshel, Tim and Marty breakfast show on Nova 106.9 in Brisbane for four years, with Laurie leaving in 2013.
After the news became public of Sheargold’s departure from Triple M, the 51-year-old Laurie took to Instagram to pen a scathing post about the former host and the industry in general.
She also praised swimming great Leisel Jones, a co-host of the Triple M Breakfast show on the Gold Coast, who issued an emotional statement on-air about the controversy earlier on Wednesday.
“Congratulations Triple M Melbourne and Southern Cross Austereo,” Laurie’s post began.
“An Australian commercial radio network has actually “parted ways” with a male presenter over his toxic attitude towards women.
“I honestly never thought I’d live to see the day.
“I must admit, I wouldn’t have advised Leisel Jones to speak out about this, because I went to my radio bosses many times over many years about the men I worked with, and in the end, I became unemployable in the industry, while they just kept doling out formal warnings to the offenders, and kept employing them.
“Is it possible the industry is actually changing? Well done Leisel Jones and well done Triple M. This is huge.
“Love to all the talented and hard working women working in radio. Keep pushing! Time for a female-led national drive show? Dare we dream?”
Sheargold, along with co-hosts Troy Ellis and Will Ralston, did not take to the air for their scheduled show on Wednesday, with the station only playing music and ads for the 3pm AEDT timeslot.
Sheargold had come under immense pressure since his comments from Monday’s show came to light, voicing his disinterest in the Australian women’s team and women’s sport in general.
His comments were labelled “disgusting” and “a f**king joke” and Triple M responded by parting ways with Sheargold late on Wednesday.
“Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) takes its responsibility to listeners, shareholders, and clients seriously and its programming should align with the standards and expectations of its audience,” their statement read.
“Right now, it’s clear this is a moment for reflection and review. Triple M, and the wider SCA network, will continue to take all necessary steps to support staff.”
The statement went on to “acknowledge Marty’s contribution over the past four years and we wish him well for the future”.
In the same statement, Sheargold said: “Having mutually agreed to part ways with the Triple M Network, I fully understand the gravity of my comments.
“I’d like to sincerely apologise to the Matildas and the broader organisation. I would also like to thank my immediate team for their hard work and apologise for the situation they now find themselves in.”
Monday’s discussion between Sheargold, Ellis and Ralston began with the latter mentioning the SheBelieves Cup, a tournament the Matildas are contesting in the United States.
After a brief introduction from Ralston, Sheargold immediately jumped in with his own take on the popular Australian side, which lost its opening two matches against Japan and the host nation.
“There’s something wrong with the Matildas,” Sheargold began.
“They had that wonderful tournament out here where we all fell in love with them, even though they didn’t make the quarters.
“You know what they remind me of? Year 10 girls,” Sheargold continued, as laughter rang out in the background.
“All the infighting and all the friendship issues, ‘the coach hates me and I hate bloody training and Michelle’s being a bitch’.
“Now I’m sorry to undermine the whole sport, but that’s what I think of it so you can stick it up your arse.”
When Ralston later tried to keep the bulletin moving and mentioned the Women’s Asian Cup, which Australia is hosting next year, Sheargold responded: “Oh god. The Asian Cup.
“I’d rather hammer a nail through the head of my penis than watch that. Got any men’s sport?”
A host of athletes and sporting bodies, including Football Australia and the Australian Sports Commission, have hammered Sheargold over his comments.
Georgie Tunny, a journalist and TV producer, was asked about the incident on Wednesday night’s edition of The Project on Network Ten.
Watch Tunny’s comments in the video player at the top of the page
Tunny, who has also previously worked with Sheargold, said she hadn’t been shocked by the host and actor’s comments.
And she had a message for anyone that feels Sheargold was hard done by after losing his job at Triple M.
“There’s been a lot of commentary – before that information about Marty Sheargold stepping down – surrounding the shock that they felt, that these comments could happen,” Tunny said.
“I wasn’t shocked at all. I’m so sick and tired of this kind of language. I’m so sick and tired of this vitriol. I’m so sick and tired of this ‘sense of humour’.
“And I like Marty. I know him, I’ve worked with him, I think that he has been an excellent broadcaster for a long time.
“But there will be people out there who think that he has been hard done by with this, who laughed along with what he was saying, and to them I just say get a new sense of humour.
“Because if you are understanding and accepting the premise of his comments as humour or funny, then you are also accepting then that women (and) women’s sport (is) the butt of the joke, again and again and again.
“And I would’ve liked to have thought that in 2025 we can finally put that to bed as something that’s ridiculous.”
Tunny, who presented sport in a previous role on the ABC’s News Breakfast program, was also keen to point out the popularity of the Matildas.
Their semi-final defeat to England in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup reached a massive 11.5 million Australians and was the highest rated TV program on record since the OzTAM audience system was introduced in 2001.
“The Matildas were the most watched thing ever on Australian television, so it just gets me so angry that we have to talk about this,” she said.
“In saying all of that, I’m not above the Matildas being criticised, especially right now. They’re not playing well, so they’re not above reproach.
“What they are above is disrespect and that’s what’s happening here.”
Tunny was also asked if Sheargold’s sacking could potentially turn him “into a martyr”.
“I don’t think so. I think that there’s bigger things at play here,” she said.
“Whether that be how happy Marty was on the show anyway and everything surrounding that, I’m not sure where he is personally.
“I don’t think it does make him a martyr, no.”
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Channel 7 sports presenter Mel McLaughlin also commented on the furore at the end of her segment on Wednesday night.
“Just a word on the bizarre, pathetic and embarrassing comments we heard earlier regarding our mighty Matildas,” McLaughlin said.
“They obviously do not represent how any of us feel and hopefully all the girls and boys out there know that.”
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