Australian radio jocks leave airwaves following nurse's death

Radio jocks Michael Christian and Mel Greig / Twitter

The Australian radio jocks who impersonated Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles on Tuesday will no longer be on the airwaves -- for now.

The news comes after a nurse who fell victim to the DJs' prank telephone call seeking information about the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge died in an apparent suicide.

The station released the following statement about radio personalities Mel Greig and Michael Christian: "Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world."

"Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances. SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy."

The King Edward VII hospital said nurse Jacintha Saldanha took the hoax call by two Australian radio disc jockeys who impersonated Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles early Tuesday to elicit private information on the duchess' condition. Saldanha later transferred the call to the nurse caring for the duchess, who was admitted for acute morning sickness. That second nurse spoke freely about her 30-year-old patient, one of the world's most photographed women.

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British nurse who took prank call dead in apparent suicide

Saldanha was found dead early Friday. Police say her death is unexplained.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends," said John Lofthouse, the hospital's chief executive, said in a statement. "Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much-loved and valued colleague."

St. James's Palace, which speaks for Prince William, the duchess' husband, also expressed sadness about the nurse's death, but insisted that it had not complained about the hoax.

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Official on royal prank nurse's death

"On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times," the palace said in a statement.

The prank phone call took place early Tuesday and the two radio personalities apologized the following day.

A woman using the often-mimicked voice of Britain's monarch asked after the duchess' health. She was told by the second nurse who took the call from Saldanha that the duchess, the former Kate Middleton, "hasn't had any retching with me and she's been sleeping on and off."

The nurse went on to say the duchess had had an uneventful night, as another radio employee pretended to be a dog yapping in the background. The alleged queen and prince then talked about traveling to the London hospital to check in on the patient, who is married to the queen's grandson, Prince William.

The hospital said it supported Saldanha in the aftermath of the call and that its phone protocols were under review.

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Police investigating death of royal prank call nurse

The Australian station 2DayFM placed the recording of the conversation on its website but later said it was sorry.

"We were very surprised that our call was put through. We thought we'd be hung up on as soon as they heard our terrible accents," the radio jocks said in a joint statement with the station at the time. "We're very sorry if we've caused any issues and we're glad to hear that Kate is doing well."

However, the disc jockeys also described the call as the "easiest prank call ever made," and promoted it through the station's website and social media accounts.

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Kate, Duchess of Cambridge

The Sydney-based 2Day FM continued promote its prank call on air early Saturday morning local time. It described the hoax as "the prank call the world is talking about" before playing clips of news programs reporting on the original call.

Christian's Twitter account has since been taken down.

Officials from St. James's Palace have said the duchess is not yet 12 weeks pregnant. The child would be the first for her and Prince William and become third in line to the British throne, after Charles and William.

[thiagodaluz7]

Sounds like great business for a <a href="http://www.hilbornandkonduros.ca/about-us/">lawyer in Cambridge</a>. Nail these guys, for something. This kind of things is not cool. And just because I can, it's also part of the reason the radio is polluted as a media for music.

[anaventura2]

Michael and Mel had their two stupid minutes of fame and because of that a women in dead.
This is where journalism got today. Wheres the ethics ?
A hospital is where people are being treated you idiots. Doctors and nurses have too much in their hands to waste time on two miserable idiots like yourselves!
But the way journalism is going, you'll probably end up writing a book, you idiots!

[TahtiDede]

I am sure a movie is in the making as we speak. What do people get from this kind of abuse of privacy?

[civilityisbest]

This is not the first stunt carried out by this radio station. I lived in Australia when last year this very same radio station put a 14 year old girl on live radio to take a lie detector test and she ended up admitting she was raped. It was an outrage and there was enough public backlash that one would assume that the station executives would straighten up their act, but, obviously not. This station should face severe consequences for this stunt. Even if a death didn't occur, why didn't they think someone could certainly lose their job if they convinced them to divulge private information. Why wasn't that enough of a deterrent from pulling this prank? But, considering this happened in a country where you can murder someone in the most brutal manner and you get 5 years in prison - I doubt anything will really happen to this radio station. But, don't mess with their tax money!! Then, you get life in prison and they hunt you down like a dog - ask Crocodile Dundee!

[robert1129]

Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances. SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy."

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It is my ernest hope that the nurse's family takes the SCA and these two jerks to the cleaners and that these two scrum never again work in radio. I hope SCA takes the position that these two have to assume their own legal costs and that they are fired. If they are ever allowed back on the air, they will again repeat this kind of stunt with no regard as to the consequences.

[Rob1836]

One expects this from Australians

[craigylloydy]

ROB1836, oh my god you have hurt me, I will now commit suicide, on your head be it....you jerk

[MIO42]

Be interesting to know the whole story,if ever that happens!?

[soniesue]

Why would any adult agree to play such a childness "prank". It's mind boggling!

[DAZZA545]

It was pre-recorded. Notice that Mel is the main offender. It went past a lawyer check within the company and eventually Actioned by the PRODUCERS!!! The Announcers were just doing there job; as any person would in their first week in the job! Producers and management should be blamed and not the announcers.

For people who say the Australian Media should invade the privacy of the hosts. The company they work for own half of australias media!

PS. You have the wrong photo, the MEDIA (2DayFM & CBS) don't always get it right!

[LRaffety]

The radio DJs invaded the privacy and infringed upon the Duchess's medical information; what more, they published that information. It's beyond a freedom of speech issue, it's a medical rights issue. While perhaps unintenional, that their actions led to the nurse receptionist taking her own life over the matter is reprehensible. What also about the added stress that this will undoubtedly place on Catherine during her first trimester? That could have very serious consequences. The whole thing is deplorable and very, very sad.

[jealron]

jnostromo I'm with you,hopefully,the paparazzi,not exactly known for good deeds, will make these two their class project and plant a scarlett letter on them...That is a story I will follow. So, Paparazzi, people of the press, start your engines.....

[Polka_Dancer]

Right on! And if Dazza545 is correct, then they should go after the producers and the lawyer, too.

[Sydonia56]

The paparazzi were responsible for his mothers death, the death of an innocent nurse~for what ever reason, and now the stress placed on Catherine, not because of the phone call, but because of what happened to this nurse, it could quite possibly cause the demise of their first child. I think paparzzi's are the scum of the earth. You are right, they have placed a scarlett letter on them for sure, it is sad to think of what else they will take from this family over the coming years.