Network Nine’s biggest stars have rallied around axed Today star Alex Cullen after he was stood down for accepting a $50,000 gift from Adrian Portelli.
The TV presenter, 44, accepted the eye-watering sum after he was the first media personality to use Portelli’s self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ live on-air last week—sparking a firestorm.
And on Sunday, as Cullen broke his silence on the shock move Nine made to axe him over the stunt, his most famous colleagues flocked to his Instagram page with messages of support—though not all fans were happy with the effort.
Karl Stefanovic’s wife Jasmine commented a red love heart, but one fan didn’t think that was good enough as they said: ‘Do you and [Karl] think this is a real effort?’
Meanwhile, co-anchor Sarah Abo left three black heart emojis beneath Cullen’s post.
Today Extra star Sylvia Jeffreys said: ‘Big [red heart emoji] to you and your gorgeous family.’
Network Nine’s biggest stars have rallied around axed Today star Alex Cullen, 44, (pictured) after he was stood down for accepting a $50,000 gift from Adrian Portelli
Her co-star David Campbell added: ‘It has been an honour and a pleasure to sit with you, nerd out and compare Biden impersonations. Yours was better.’
Campbell, 51, finished with: ‘Love to you and the family.’
Nine entertainment editor Richard Wilkins also showed his support by writing: ‘Stay well Mate… love to all.’
‘We’ll miss you too, Alex. Big love to your family,’ commented Today news presenter Jayne Azzopardi.
‘You are the very best Alex. You are very loved. Much love to you and your family,’ said 9Honey and Today Extra journalist Jo Abi.
Cullen broke his silence on Sunday after Nine Network axed the Today star for accepting a $50,000 gift from The Block billionaire Portelli.
The father-of-three admitted in an Instagram post that his exit from the Nine breakfast show has been ‘difficult’.
He shared an image with his fans of himself and his son Max, one, enjoying a ride on a Ferris wheel overlooking the sea.
As Cullen broke his silence on the shock move Nine made to axe him over the stunt, his most famous colleagues flocked to his Instagram page to share their love. Pictured (L) with Today anchor Karl Stefanovic and (R) with Today Extra star Sylvia Jeffreys
In the caption, he thanked the fans who reached out to him and said he will ‘miss’ working with his co-stars on Today.
‘A quick note from me. This has been a very difficult time and I just want to say thank you to all the wonderful people who reached out,’ he said.
Cullen added: ‘It means the world to me and my young family. I will miss my colleagues at Today and wish them the best.
‘Thank you again and I look forward to whatever comes next.’
Today host Karl Stefanovic announced live on-air on Friday morning that Cullen had left the network following the incident with Portelli.
‘As most of you are well aware, our colleague Alex Cullen has not been on air with us this past week,’ a solemn Stefanovic told viewers.
‘There has been widespread reporting on the circumstances surrounding this, what I can say is that last night, Alex and Nine agreed that he would finish with the network.
‘Alex has, of course, been part of the Today family for five years now, he’s always ready with a smile and a laugh and without hesitation speaking for all of us here, we can say that we are going to miss him terribly, that’s for sure.’
Some of Nine’s biggest stars left messages of support on Cullen’s Instagram, but not all fans with impressed by the effort
‘Alex is a terrific fella, what you see is what you get and he has been a great mate to all of us over these years and we wish Alex, his wife Bonnie and his beautiful kids all the very best for the future,’ Stefanovic continued.
A Nine spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Nine has agreed with Today presenter and journalist Alex Cullen that he will finish with the network following a review into a recent incident.’
Outraged fans have since vowed to snub the network’s breakfast show following its decision.
‘What absolute overkill. Alex is the only watchable presenter on Today,’ one viewer said.
‘I’m gone, won’t watch again on principle. He must be devastated, especially as Portelli said he had already said he wanted the money to go to charity.
‘If they sacked presenters for bad behaviour, Stefanovic should have been gone years ago. So it seems Alex was unfairly targeted.’
‘Alex Cullen made Today watchable. Already switched over,’ said another.
‘Such a shame Alex was my favourite on The Today Show,’ one heartbroken fan added.
Cullen broke his silence on Sunday after Nine Network axed the Today star for accepting a $50,000 gift from The Block billionaire Portelli
‘Hope Alex turns up on Sunrise – that’s what I’ll be watching now,’ someone else said.
The scandal kicked off when Portelli, 35, had grown tired of his long-used nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ and offered the cash reward to the first person to use his new moniker ‘McLaren Man’ on air, with Cullen obliging on the Today just over a week ago.
The Block entrepreneur then posted what appeared to be a bank transfer of $50,000 to the presenter on Instagram.
Accepting cash, gifts or benefits to undermine journalistic independence, and improperly using a journalistic position for personal gain, are both breaches of the journalism code of ethics as defined by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance union.
The ill-advised stunt led to Cullen being suspended by Nine and he did not appear on the show while the network investigated the payment. The sum has been donated to charity by Portelli.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Adrian Portelli for comment.
Portelli responded to the scandal on Instagram just before Cullen’s axing was announced, vowing to find a job for the Today show presenter if he was let go from the network.
The wealthy entrepreneur recently shared a photo with his followers in which he revealed he had donated Cullen’s $50,000 to a charity on his behalf—and extended a surprising offer to the presenter.
The scandal kicked off when Portelli, 35, had grown tired of his long-used nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ and offered the cash reward to the first person to use his new moniker ‘McLaren Man’ on air, with Cullen obliging on the Today just over a week ago
‘Alex Cullen… on behalf of you, mate, $25,000 to the Salvation Army and $25,000 to the RSPCA,’ Portelli wrote next to a screenshot of the bank receipts.
‘I’ve kept pretty quiet about what unfolded with Alex, but even before he’d heard from Nine, we had a conversation where he expressed his desire to donate the money.
‘That speaks volumes about his character. Alex, you’re an absolute gentleman. If Nine let you go I’d be more than happy to collaborate with you on something. True class, mate!’
Portelli also shared to his Stories that he had ‘positions available’ in Melbourne for content creators and videographers, hinting at what roles might be available to Cullen.
During his absence from the Today show, Cullen was replaced by Clint Stanaway, who has been reporting live from Melbourne for Nine’s coverage of the Australian Open tennis.
Nine’s parting of ways with Cullen went ahead despite Portelli’s claim that Cullen intended the money to be paid to charity all along.
Max Markson, who has been a leading PR agent for 50 years, earlier this week said although it was ‘not normal’ behaviour for a presenter to accept such rewards, he believed Cullen had clearly done so in a light-hearted fashion.
‘I am sure they didn’t think they were going to get the $50,000 but then they got it and unfortunately Alex has been stood down for the moment, which is crazy,’ he told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.
Today host Karl Stefanovic announced live on-air on Friday morning that Cullen had left the network following the incident with Portelli
Portelli responded to the scandal on Instagram just before Cullen’s axing was announced, vowing to find a job for the Today show presenter if he was let go from the network and revealing Cullen had asked him to donate the $50,000
‘He shouldn’t have taken the $50,000 obviously, but he’s given it back. I don’t think that’s the reason they did it, they did it as a joke, obviously.’
Markson did not think it would do Cullen’s TV career any lasting damage and predicted that he will be back on air within seven days.
Nine insiders also told Daily Mail Australia that the stunt could have been beneficial for the network and Portelli, if Cullen had advised the promoter that, as a journalist, he was unable to accept any payment for making the comment on-air.
Portelli first received the unwanted nickname ‘Mr Lambo’ after turning up to a 2022 auction of popular house makeover show The Block in a yellow Lamborghini.
Cullen joined Today for its relaunch five years ago.
He was initially the sports presenter, but took over news when Tracy Vo quit the show and returned to 9News Perth.
Cullen shares three children with his wife Bonnie—son Max, one, and twin daughters Evie and Audrey, six.
