TT’s Big Mac attack on Mercedes

Mercedes Corby reckons Today Tonight is up to its old tricks again.

If she’s right it’s a pretty tacky story beat-up.

Corby says she was lured to a Gold Coast McDonald’s restaurant under the pretence that she was being given documents belonging to an Australian embassy official. The documents would supposedly help Schapelle’s case. But when she got there she says she found a TT crew, with Jodi Powers in tow.

Here’s the really tacky part: the documents were claimed to have belonged to diplomat Liz O’Neill, who had worked closely with the Corby family during their court appearances. O’Neill died in the Indonesian air crash this week.

Executive Producer Craig McPherson denies using O’Neill’s name and said the investigator who contacted Corby had been hired by TT.

The unnamed investigator working for TT admitted telling lies as part of his strategy to lure Corby into a story.

Last month TT had an audience of over 2 million when it promised to “blow the lid” on the Corby case, but many questioned the claims of Jodi Powers who had fallen out with the Corby clan.

Corby says she stormed out once she knew what was being tried. She was here visiting her father in Queensland at the time.

It seems that since Schapelle is well and truly behind bars Mercedes has now become the “talent” for this story. She’s accessible and fiery, making great tv footage.

Meanwhile Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer is set to investigate, given the inclusion of staff and documents in the affair.

Seven said it had no footage of the incident.

McPherson threatened to sue Corby over her claims.

Corby has complained to the Police.

It ain’t over till it’s over, folks.

You can read more from News.com.au here.

Disclaimer: David Knox has previously appeared on ACA.