Leigh Sales ‘offended, angered’ by on-stage kiss

Leigh Sales has spoken out after receiving an unwanted kiss on the lips at a charity event.

ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales. Picture: AAP

ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales says she was “offended and angered” by an incident ­involving an unwanted kiss from a man at a charity event in Sydney on Saturday.

Sales was MC at the Trish Foundation for MS Research’s Winter Wonderland Ball at the Hilton Sydney when retired businessman Phil Newman offered his cheek for the journalist to kiss but then turned his head suddenly and kissed her on the lips.

Sales said she had “strong words to the man ­involved”.

“He apologised and I ­accepted that apology,” she said in a statement issued by the ABC.

“The only reason I am commenting publicly is that I feel, given how many people witnessed the incident, it would be gutless not to stand up and say that kind of behaviour is intolerable and the time for women being subject to it or having to tolerate it is long gone.”

Mr Newman, the director of the multiple sclerosis charity, told The Guardian he was “horrified” when it became clear he had ­offended Sales.

“I apologised on the night profusely and she accepted,” he said. “It was an attempt at humour and light entertainment to start the night off.

“I am upset my judgment wasn’t better.

“I am embarrassed I brought any disrespect on the foundation and on Leigh.”

The incident comes after a man hurled a tub of ­yoghurt at Sales at the Disrupted Festival of Ideas, which was held at the State Library of Western Australia, in July.

The yoghurt sprayed Sales’s legs, the stage and the curtains ­behind her.

A 49-year-old man was charged with common assault in relation to that incident.