Latest news with #SharnelleVella
ABC News
23-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Sharnelle and Bob's Breakfast Table Takeover
Do you want 774 ABC Radio Melbourne to broadcast live from your house? Tell us why your place is the best spot for Sharnelle Vella and Bob Murphy to host their Breakfast show. Express your interest here for an ultimate radio experience. ENTER HERE Posted 7m ago 7 minutes ago Fri 23 May 2025 at 2:19am
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Why footy great Bob Murphy's shocking sexually charged remark about his co-host could END his ABC radio show
A leading television commentator has revealed why he believes it is only a matter of time before Robert 'Bob' Murphy and Sharnelle Vella's ABC Breakfast Radio show will be axed for good. Murphy made headlines last week after he shocked audiences by making a sexually charged joke live on air about his female co-host, insinuating Vella had once worked at a strip club. The former Western Bulldogs star made the shock comment during Wednesday's Melbourne Breakfast show but was forced to make a grovelling apology afterwards, with Vella biting back with a very blunt and frosty response: 'It's not OK.' The pair began presenting the show back in January 2025 after Sammy J (Samuel McMillan) announced he would be leaving ABC. But since January, the show has seen its ratings worryingly slump on multiple occasions. Television columnist Robert McKnight believes it is now only a matter of time before ABC bosses will can Murphy from the show, because the incident has shown that he and Vella have a lack of chemistry as radio hosts. 'These two people showed in that very moment that they are not friends and they do not have chemistry,' McKnight wrote in a column for Channel 7. He pointed to both the shock and bizarre joke that Murphy had made and then Vella's response to his grovelling apology. The pair had been interviewing Elinor Kasapidis, from Certified Practising Accountants Australia, regarding the subject of getting the right financial advice when Vella had recounted her first job out of high school. 'I remember when I worked in retail many moons ago when I was still in high school...' Murphy interjected, stating: 'Not at Spearmint Rhino?' in reference to a Melbourne strip club. Vella appeared to pause briefly, then said 'No' before returning to speak with Kasapidis. There is no claim by Daily Mail Australia that Vella has ever worked in a strip club and it is understood that Murphy's comments were meant as a joke. On Thursday, Murphy began the show by attempting to extend an olive branch to his co-host. 'I think it'd be pertinent from my point of view to start with some news that came out of this studio,' he began. 'For those of you who listened to the show yesterday, or have woken up to a story in the newspaper that refers to an inappropriate comment I made yesterday, I think I need to address that publicly to apologise. 'I did that, insinuated my colleague and co-host Sharnelle worked at Spearmint Rhino, a well-known strip club. 'Cutting straight to the point, it was not just a mistake, it was a gross and inaccurate off-hand quip. 'I promised Sharnelle that I'd never disrespect her and I did break that promise. 'Put simply, I'm really sorry.' Vella, though, issued a frosty response in return. 'Look, I won't let you off the hook on it. It wasn't OK,' she said. 'I appreciate your words, but we do move on.' McKnight has highlighted this exchange as a key point in ascertaining that the broadcasters 'do not have on-air chemistry'. He believes the duo now cannot recover from the moment, adding that Vella has 'absolutely every right to call her co-host out, but it's the way you do it that reveals so much about the working relationship between two people'. 'At the time he made the joke, she could have easily put him in his place with a joke, something like: 'Are you right there, mate? Are you calling me a stripper'.' McKnight even suggested that the interaction between the pair of radio hosts could have led to phone-ins from listeners to discuss what might be appropriate to say to colleagues when it comes to work. McKnight has worked in the broadcasting industry since 1995, and has held multiple roles as a producer, executive producer with Channel 7, Channel Nine and Network Ten. 'Vella's reaction wouldn't be a problem in any other workplace, but an on-air team is supposed to make the audience feel comfortable. 'We're supposed to believe they really like each other, despite what the truth might be. I have no idea if they are friends off air, I'm simply talking about the perception of their relationship.' McKnight also added that Murphy will now be more reluctant to joke or have banter with Vella following the incident. 'It's very easy to see that he will limp along, ratings will fall, and eventually she will be paired up with a new co-host. The damage is done and now it's just a matter of time before he - or the whole show - is cancelled. 'The way this was handled doesn't do either of them any favours.' Daily Mail Australia has approached the ABC for comment. Murphy enjoyed a distinguished footy career, joining the Bulldogs in the 1999 National Draft. He'd go on to make 312 appearances, scoring 183 goals during that time, before hanging up his boots in 2017. The former defender, who could also step up into the midfield, was highly respected as a player, captaining the side between 2015 and 2017 and notably claimed two All-Australian jackets. After hanging up his boots, Murphy stepped into working in the media. He has written columns for The Age and has been included as a regular panellist on the show AFL 360 on Fox. He also has held other roles in radio, notably joining up with Andy Maher for 1116 SEN's late afternoon drive show back in 2019 but would quit his work in broadcasting to move to Perth in 2021, where he became Fremantle's head of football operations and performance. Despite that, he'd return to Melbourne and take up his new role with Vella on ABC's breakfast show but things have been a little bumpy for Murphy since joining the show. Ratings at the breakfast show began to dip in March, sliding from 7.9 per cent to 6.3 per cent. They would then slump again in April, falling to 5.6 per cent. Murphy had also been hit with criticism earlier this year by a rival presenter for being 'woke'. Murphy had referred to the men's top-flight Australian rules football competition as the 'AFLM'. Tom Elliott of 3AW slammed him over the call. 'In America, you have the NBA and then the WNBA, that works fine,' Elliott said. 'I think he [Murphy] is the only person who does this. He persists in calling the AFL the AFLM ... that is wokeness.' Murphy had also slammed ex-Bulldogs team-mate Jason Akermanis in 2023 over a discussion on whether footballers should come out as gay. Akermanis was suspended by the Bulldogs after writing in a newspaper column that it would be too controversial for a player to come out as gay. 'Stay in the closet,' he wrote. During an episode of the 'Four Corners' podcast, Murphy was 'disgusted', 'embarrassed' and 'hurt' by Akermanis' comments. In the history of the AFL, no player has ever come out as openly gay.
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
ABC Radio star Bob Murphy apologises to co-host Sharnelle Vella for ‘gross' strip club comment
Melbourne radio host and former AFL star Bob Murphy has issued a public apology to his female co-host for a 'gross' comment he made about her on-air yesterday. The ABC Radio personality apologised to Sharnelle Vella live this morning for insinuating that she worked at Melbourne strip club Spearmint Rhino when talking about her first job with a guest just 24 hours prior. 'I think it'd be pertinent from my point of view to start with some news that came out of this studio,' Murphy, a former Western Bulldogs captain, began in this morning's broadcast. 'For those of you who listened to the show yesterday, or have woken up to a story in the newspaper that refers to an inappropriate comment I made yesterday, I think I need to address that publicly to apologise.' He continued, 'I did make a comment that insinuated my colleague and co-host Sharnelle here worked at Spearmint Rhino, a well-known Melbourne strip club. 'Cutting straight to the point, it was not just a mistake, it was a gross and inaccurate offhand quip. I promised Sharnelle that I'd never disrespect her and I did break that promise. Put simply, I'm really sorry.' Although Vella acknowledged his apology and wanted to move on, she made it known that his comment was inexcusable. 'I won't let you off the hook on it. It wasn't OK,' she replied. 'I appreciate your words but we do move on.' His comment shocked listeners yesterday just before the 7.30am news was read on their show when the duo were interviewing Elinor Kasapidis from Certified Practising Accountants Australia for financial advice. 'I remember when I worked in retail many moons ago when I was still in high school …' Vella began to share when Murphy interjected, 'Not at Spearmint Rhino, the other one.' Spearmint Rhino is a notorious strip club with establishments across Australia, including Melbourne, as well as venues in the UK and US. Vella maintained her composure and professionalism in wake of the comment, simply replying 'no' before she kept to the topic. 'I couldn't afford to go to a financial advisor so I was doing my tax return myself,' she told their guest. Murphy and Vella have had rocky start to the year since they were given the hosting gig at ABC Breakfast radio in Melbourne, replacing comedian Sammy J.
News.com.au
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
ABC radio host apologises for sexual comment aimed at female co-host
ABC Melbourne radio host Bob Murphy has apologised over recent comments he made live on air to his female co-host. Mr Murphy insinuated that his radio co-host Sharnelle Vella previously worked at a notorious strip club in Melbourne, the Spearmint Rhino. He has since come out on the ABC Melbourne Breakfast show stating 'I promised Sharnelle that I'd never disrespect her and I did break that promise".
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Bob Murphy and Sharnelle Vella: Hear the moment ABC radio star has a VERY frosty moment with his co-host after making a disgraceful sexually charged comment about her live on air
Former AFL star turned ABC radio host Bob Murphy has made a grovelling apology for insinuating that his female co-host once worked at a strip club - only to have her return serve with a very blunt and frosty reaction. Murphy made the shocking comment on Wednesday's instalment of the broadcaster's Melbourne Breakfast program. He and co-host Sharnelle Vella were interviewing Elinor Kasapidis from Certified Practising Accountants Australia on getting the right financial advice when Vella said, 'I remember when I worked in retail many moons ago when I was still in high school...' Murphy quickly interjected with: 'Not at Spearmint Rhino?', referring to a well-known Melbourne strip club. The former Western Bulldogs star began Thursday's program by trying to extend an olive branch to Vella. 'I think it'd be pertinent from my point of view to start with some news that came out of this studio,' he began. 'For those of you who listened to the show yesterday, or have woken up to a story in the newspaper that refers to an inappropriate comment I made yesterday, I think I need to address that publicly to apologise. 'I did that insinuated my colleague and co-host Sharnelle here worked at Spearmint Rhino, a well-known strip club. 'Cutting straight to the point, it was not just a mistake, it was a gross and inaccurate off-hand quip. 'I promised Sharnelle that I'd never disrespect her and I did break that promise. 'Put simply, I'm really sorry.' Vella's reply was stony and very frank. 'Look, I won't let you off the hook on it. It wasn't OK,' she said. 'I appreciate your words, but we do move on.' Daily Mail Australia has approached the ABC for comment, and does not insinuate that Vella has ever worked in a strip club. Murphy, who was a highly respected footy player and two-time All-Australian, has had a bumpy start to the year in his new role, with the breakfast show's ratings dipping from a 7.9 per cent audience share to 6.3 per cent in March. Another dip to just 5.6 per cent followed in April. Earlier this year, the 42-year-old Bulldogs great was criticised by rival radio presenter Tom Elliott for being 'woke' after he used the term 'AFLM' to describe the men's top-flight Australian Rules football competition. 'Does anybody else honestly want to call the AFL the AFLM?,' Elliott said on 3AW Mornings. 'In America, you have the NBA and then the WNBA, that works fine. 'I think he [Murphy] is the only person who does this. He persists in calling the AFL the AFLM ... that is wokeness.' Back in 2023, Murphy hit out at former Bulldogs team-mate Jason Akermanis regarding a difference of opinion on whether footy stars should come out as gay. Akermanis was suspended by the Bulldogs and later delisted in 2010 after writing in a newspaper column that a player coming out as gay would be too controversial for the league, writing: 'Stay in the closet'. Murphy reflected on the controversy in an episode of ABC's 'Four Corners' podcast. He said he was 'disgusted', 'embarrassed' and 'hurt' by Akermanis's comments. Akermanis later stood by his comment, branding Murphy a 'sook' and a 'complete myth'. In the history of the Australian football league, no player has ever come out as openly gay. Murphy, meanwhile, said any player to do so would be backed by players and the AFL in an empassioned statement. 'You will be fought for and supported,' the former Bulldogs captain said.
