Cameron Smith issued on-air apology from Nine network over Alex McKinnon 60 Minutes program

PAUL Vautin issued Queensland captain Cameron Smith an apology on behalf of the Nine Network over the handling of last year’s 60 Minutes program on Alex McKinnon.

CAMERON Smith has been issued an on-air apology on behalf of the Nine Network on Wednesday night, ending an almost 12-month feud.

Smith broke from Queensland Origin camp to appear on The Footy Show in Sydney.

Footy Show host Paul Vautin issued the on-air apology to Smith, who chose to boycott all pre and post-match interviews with Nine following a 60 Minutes story on Alex McKinnon last year.

“Before we get started, we know it’s been a difficult relationship between Channel Nine and yourself over the past twelve months,” Vautin said.

“With regards to those issues, on behalf of the Nine network we want to apologise to you and your family.”

Cameron Smith was issued an on-air apology on behalf of the Nine network.

In the story, McKinnon vented his anger at Smith’s lack of concern at the time of the tackle, which left the Newcastle star resigned to life in a wheelchair, and in turn left the Melbourne Storm hooker fuming that he wasn’t offered the opportunity to respond to the story.

“It has been a difficult twelve months and I just want to thank you for that apology on behalf of the network,” Smith said.

“It’s no secret I was pretty disappointed with the 60 Minutes episode that aired last year and everything that happened afterwards too.

“That was probably the most disappointing thing, that I thought it took away from a beautiful story about Alex McKinnon and his fiancee Teigan.

“That was something we should have been focusing on and celebrating but that’s in the past now and I’ve worked all through that with Alex.”

Alex McKinnon with his fiancee Teigan.

McKinnon and Smith spoke after the show aired with the pair mending any differences which was felt at the time of the 60 Minutes episode.

It would have been an embarrassing look for Channel Nine, who are the TV rights holders for Origin, to not have access to the Queensland captain for the upcoming three-match interstate series.

Originally published as Cameron Smith issued on-air apology from Nine network over Alex McKinnon 60 Minutes program