Aussie presenter Grace Hayden returns serve on nepo-baby critics

News.com.au

29-07-2025

When you're the son or daughter of a famous figure and start to make a name for yourself, nepotism claims are going to be following close behind.
Grace Hayden knows that all too well.
The daughter of Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden, Grace has been shining brightly on her own path for several years in the media ranks.
Despite that, social media criticism can be seen far and wide anytime she appears on a television screen.
The 23-year-old knows that some doors have been opened thanks to her dad, but how she's reached this point in her career hasn't been a simple stroll in the park … she's put in the hard yards and is now crafting her own journey.
'I am somewhat living in dad's footsteps, but I feel like I'm creating and paving my own path while still respecting dad's legacy,' Grace said to news.com.au.
'I'm just doing it my own way. I think that's the most important thing is making it my own. And you know what people want to say about nepotism all the time, right? And yes, I'm going to own the fact that yep, it opens doors for sure.
'But you do have to work really hard to stay in a job … It doesn't matter if you're a child of someone or you're a partner of someone, you still have to work bloody hard to earn your stripes in anything you might do.'
And she has a simple message to those who will continue to sit back and paint her with the nepo-baby tag.
'I say thank you and move on,' she said.
'I just don't see it as a hate comment. I'm like, you can call me a nepo-baby, go for it. Thank you for saying that to me because I am one of the most competitive people of all time.
'I grew up as an athlete myself playing every sport under the sun, I was sports girl of the year most years at my school in Brisbane.
'I just loved it so anything that people give me a challenge on, I'm like, you know what? Game on. And that's the perfect name of my podcast Game on with Grace.
'It's like I love a bit of a competition. I love a challenge. So, if people want to give me hate comments, go for it.'
In today's day and age, social media backlash has become an all too common occurrence with hate comments flooding in at a rapid rate.
Having grown up on the world's stage, Grace was brought up with one simple mindset that she continues to maintain throughout it all.
'Keep your family close. Your family know who you are. Your friends know who you are. The rest don't matter,' she said.
'As long as you're checking in with the people that you care about and that care about you and they're giving you honest feedback … which definitely in my family and my mates that's definitely an open door in terms of criticism.
'But it's always you know those people that you lean on rather than listening to the white noise
'Not every single person is going to like you in this world. And you know what? I'm okay with that.
'As long as my family know who I am and my friends know who I am and they can sense check me. I'm right.'
Grace's media career continues to go from strength to strength and it reached new heights behind the launch of her podcast with US streaming service Willow.
The biweekly series will see her host candid conversations with athletes and artists.
The latest venture comes after she worked for broadcaster Star India throughout the Indian Premier League.
She has also featured as a fashion expert and roving reporter with Channel 7's horse racing coverage, and she worked alongside her father with the Disney-Star network during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
In January this year she joined digital sport platform Racing X as the new face of the Hong Kong-based international racing content operation.
After making her network debut with Channel 7 in 2022, Grace's star is on the rise with her new venture the latest stepping stone as she quickly becomes one of the most popular presenters in Australian sport.