Matthew Johns apologises: “I’m extremely sorry.”
On A Current Affair Matthew Johns apologises to the woman at the centre of a group sex incident, in a tough interview by Tracy Grimshaw.
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Disgraced Channel Nine personality Matthew Johns faced Tracy Grimshaw on A Current Affair accompanied by his wife Trish.
In a lengthy 20 minute interview, Johns struggled to find the words to Grimshaw’s questions.
The Footy Show host finally apologised to the woman at the centre of the incident, now widely reported as group sex in New Zealand in 2002.
“I wasn’t aware of what she had been through. I can say now any trauma, embarrassment that she has gone through as a result of this, I’m extremely sorry for.”
“I’m extremely sorry to my wife and my family as well,” he said.
Johns said he takes full responsibility for the situation that “I find myself in.”
But he also reiterated the consensual nature by all those in the hotel room.
“I would say that on the night when she came back to the room she was a willing participant in everything that occurred,” he said.
Grimshaw was tough in interrogation: “How could she in going back to the room with two of you, have ended up being a willing participant in a queue of blokes at the foot of the bed having sex with her?”
Johns struggled with his answer.
“In the statements that were made to police it says she encouraged players to come forward… she actually said ‘someone come forward and have sex with me.’
“At no time was she under any distress.”
He said he was not initially aware of other players entering the room and went as far as to say the woman encouraged the acts.
Grimshaw asked, “You see Matthew most right thinking people would be looking at you right now saying how could you have looked at that scenario and seen anything that was ok in it?”
“Morally it’s not ok,” said Johns.
He later said he did not commit an act of abuse on the woman, and denied knowing she was 19 years old.
“The woman walked away from the situation with enormous regrets and embarrassment.”
Johns’ wife Trish said her husband told her every detail of the event seven years ago. “My inquisition went on probably for months and possibly even years,” she said.
“He had to be terribly honest with me otherwise we could never have continued with our marriage andlack of trust.”
When asked about her feelings of the woman involved, she added, “I certainly wouldn’t like it to be my daughter.”
After a compelling interview in which Grimshaw noted ‘you’ve lost your career to speak of’, she told viewers it was up to the NRL to now identify the other men in the interview, “if it is serious about addressing this culture.”
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83 Responses
this Kiwi woman should be hung out to shame I mean come on show your face, the one thing matty is guilty of is cheating on his wife which in any case is appalling. however infidelity is not a punishable crime!!! there has been no crime committed here. Yet this man has been thrown to the wolfs!!
group sex has been in society for hundreds of years well before there ever was an Australia!!!!
I personally am good mates with a few Footy players both NRL and ARU, and i took you out on any night of the week with a few of these guys within 30 min of walking into any establishment whether it be licensed or not there would be a min of four to five females that would come up to one of these footy players and ask in no uncertain terms for sex not a drink or there phone number!!!! and at least half of those requests would be for group sex!!!
I can honestly say I have not engaged in group sex with my team-mates around me. Maybe i’ve lived a sheltered life – or played the wrong sport.
The one missing question from Grimshaw – Is this the first and only time you’ve done this????? Mmmmmmmm
Although morally wrong at least he has had the guts to front up and admit his part in this incident. Team mates who were involved in the same incident are, to date, un-named and don’t have the same guts to admit their part and back up a former colleague.
The NZ Police have said that there was no criminality involved yet Matty has lost both his jobs and income. Does he deserve to be treated like this? Hell no.
Remember this – he who is without sin cast the first stone.
Where are you in that line? And can you really confirm to be in the line at all?
Kia kaha Matty, you will survive this!
@PR
You miss the point completely. You turn the whole thing into having a go at Grimshaw, -“Perhaps Grimshaw should be the one saying sorry. Clearly Grimshaw was in a position of power”. – Are you for real, or just another misogynist (look it up) prat with no social values?
The subject is the sleaziness of the no-neck jerks, and their off-spring, who for some reason are looked up to by their acolyte (the dictionary’s getting a workout tonight) brain-washed loser generation of Australian society. You included.
@davo I LOL’d at your post! It’s extreme, but yeah the general principles are correct.
The NRL needs to cage there animals and not let them roam free amongst normal people. NRL players are foul creatures, throwbacks to an age before time, where grunting and primal instincts ruled. Time to disband to whole comp and put these “things” that don’t even class as human out to pasture.
Tracy Grimshaw/Judge and Jury!
Facts are 1. no one will know the truth of this event. 2. Tracy Grimshaw’s interview was biased. 3. Women as well as Men need to take responsibility for thier choices. What a blatant ratings grab at the expense of all those involved. I for one now question the girls motives!
What sane person would do an interview with their former employer??? Clearly John is traumatised and Nine is happy to add to that! Perhaps Grimshaw should be the one saying sorry. Clearly Grimshaw was in a position of power. But did she exercise her better judgement and have a care for John’s clearly stressed state??? Even when he could find words she kept firing. When will people wake up and consider both sides of a story before forming an opinion. Grimshaw clearly had made up her mind regardless of the facts. The police have again confirmed their was no crime. But hey don’t let that get in the way of a good story and ratings. I hope Johns sues the network!
I’m not here to defend Johns, he has his wife and kids to answer to. He cheated and deserves the consequences. But all up, the girl’s image was damaged as well as Johns in this interview and the only winner I can see is network ratings!!!When will the general public start to realise we are all just puppets dancing to the media’s hype. These are all human beings who are going through terrible times and the last thing any of them need is for the media to keep this whipped up into a fenzy!Wake up Australia!