Kate Middleton hoax DJ back on air

Michael Christian, one of the two Australian royal radio prank hoaxers, quietly slipped back onto the air today after lying low for two months.

Mr Christian and his co-host Mel Greig caused international uproar on December 4 when they pretended to be Prince Charles and the Queen and were put through to the Duchess of Cambridge's ward at the King Edward VII's Hospital.

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who innocently put the hoax call through, later committed suicide, resulting in the two DJs, who were working on Sydney's 2Day FM, being pulled off the air and an investigation being started by Scotland Yard.



After giving a tearful TV interview later, when they expressed their sorrow at the consequences of their hoax call, nothing was heard of the pair – until today, when Mr Christian's voice was heard on his original radio station, Melbourne's FoxFM, which is part of the Southern Cross Austereo network.

The company was quick to deny that it had arranged for Mr Christian to 'sneak' back on air.

I don't think the organisation was trying to hide anything,' a spokeswoman told Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper.

'His return was never going to be the subject of a bells and whistles-type announcement.'

Nothing has been heard of Miss Greig, 30, and no announcement has been made when, or if, she will return to the air waves.
Tragic: Jacintha Saldanha, 46, of Bristol, the nurse who transferred the call to Kate's ward, was found dead in nurses' housing three days after the call

Tragic: Jacintha Saldanha, 46, of Bristol, the nurse who transferred the call to Kate's ward, was found dead in nurses' housing three days after the call

When the pair gave their TV interview in the wake of Miss Saldanha's suicide, Miss Greig appeared to be more upset than Mr Christian.

Through her tears she said: 'I remember my first question was "Was she a mother?"

She added: 'There's not a minute that goes by that we don't think about her family and what they must be going through.

'And the thought we may have played a part in that is gut-wrenching.'

Both DJs declared they would be happy to help with any investigation by Scotland Yard.

However, Britain's Crown Prosecution Service said earlier this month that there was no evidence to support a manslaughter charge.

The network said that while the couple's show, Hot 30, had been axed, the company was looking at them 'returning to work when the time is right in roles that make full use of their talents'.

Now Mr Christian has made his first appearance in the wake of the scandal, continuing with his announcements without any reference to past events.

Mr Rhys Holleran, the company's chief executive officer, said: 'We are happy to have Michael back on air.

'We have always supported our talent returning to work when appropriate and today marks that occasion for MC.

'We look forward to welcoming Mel Greig back when the time is right.'

Just when that will be remains unknown. She has not been seen in public, nor made any comment, since the tearful TV interview.

SOURCE : DAILY MAIL