Ray Hadley and Alan Jones feud over George Pell case

An almighty stoush erupted today involving top-rating radio hosts Ray Hadley and Alan Jones over Cardinal George Pell, who’s been acquitted of child sexual abuse. LISTEN TO WHAT UNFOLDED

• High Court overturns George Pell sex abuse convictions

THE simmering feud between 2GB radio hosts Alan Jones and Ray Hadley spectacularly erupted onto the airwaves on Wednesday.

Hadley blasted Jones for “poorly researched rubbish” on his breakfast show and said only “good taste” prevented him saying more.

It is the first public display of the tension between the talk back station’s two biggest stars that began when Hadley was promised Jones’ breakfast show slot last year. They have not spoken to each other since.

On Wednesday, Jones had The Daily Telegraph’s columnist Andrew Bolt on his show to discuss the High Court acquittal of Cardinal George Pell.

Ray Hadley refused to have Andrew Bolt on his show today.

2GB stablemate Jones had Bolt on his breakfast show this morning, prompting the clash.

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Bolt told Jones: “I need Ray Hadley to apologise now, I was very hurt, he did a rant calling me creepy accusing me of creepy behaviour for defending George Pell.”

Jones said: “Ray has very strong views as you know about this whole question on paedophilia and in many instances has fought a campaign to bring to justice those people who are responsible.”

And then he added: “I am sure in his heart of hearts he regrets those comments as well.”

That ignited Hadley, who told listeners almost as soon as his morning show was on air that he would not be apologising to Bolt and challenged him to try and “put me on my arse” in a fight.

Andrew Bolt has called out the “media pile on led by the ABC” over George Pell.

“I won’t be apologising to Bolt,” he said, explaining he had called Bolt “creepy” over comments made about an abuse victim not Cardinal Pell.

“I never said the words attributed to me in relation to George Pell, no one asked me from that radio program this morning whether I said those words, that’s poorly researched rubbish,” he said.

“For the attack on me this morning on my own network, to say I am disappointed yes I am,” he said. “Am I surprised? No I am not.

“There are many many things I could say but I won’t, good taste prevents me. But there has been an orchestrated campaign by some people in relation to me over this matter and others and I won’t sit still for it,” he said.

That is understood to be a reference to the deal Hadley had to take over Jones’ slot when the latter's contract expired with 2GB’s previous bosses.

Jones was locked in protracted negotiations with former 2GB chief executive Adam Lang which was finally resolved when his tough contract stipulations were swept off the table last May by chairman Russell Tate and Jones signed an $8 million two-year contract.

Cardinal George Pell leaves Barwon Prison yesterday. Picture: Getty

The internal tussle and takeover by Nine Entertainment resulted in Lang and several of his on air talent moving on from the station and left Hadley cooling his heels for the coveted breakfast slot until at least 2021 when Jones’s contract expires.

A 2GB insider said: “The cracks are starting to show. Ray expected to be on breakfast by now. He was promised Alan’s gig from July last year. Then Alan was re-signed. They haven’t spoken since.

“Alan feels it to be the ultimate betrayal while Ray thinks Alan needs to retire.”

The Daily Telegraph understands 2GB bosses called a crisis meeting Wednesday afternoon and told the warring presenters to “call a ceasefire” because the spat was distracting from the real issues people were facing over the coronavirus crisis.

After the initial spray, The Daily Telegraph understands Bolt called 2GB’s open line and demanded to be put on air but Hadley refused.

On his blog Bolt said he had asked for an apology and right of reply but Hadley had refused because he is a “coward”.

Ray Hadley refused to have Andrew Bolt on his show today.

Hadley went back on air to say Bolt had called and threatened his staffer for not putting him on air and said his staffer wanted to put “Bolt on his arse”.

“Mr Bolt I run this program not you, go away. Put a tablet under your tongue and go away,” he said. “You’ve had one platform on this radio network, you won’t be getting another one I can assure you of that.”

Hadley then offered to fight the columnist. “Making threats against young people that’s not really nice Mr Bolt,” he said.

“You want to try and put me on my arse one day, I don’t know if you would be successful, handbags at 10 paces perhaps,” he said.

A spokesman for 2GB owner Nine Entertainment declined to comment about the spat between the two presenters who both also write columns for The Daily Telegraph.