Natasha Exelby apologises after giggling through news tragedy
TEN says a newsreader giggling through a news tragedy was " totally unacceptable."
- Published by David Knox
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TEN News presenter Natasha Exelby has apologised after giggling through a TEN Late News report after having been distracted by an off-camera moment.
But unfortunately for Exelby the report included news reports on violent riots in Brazil, in which 1 person was killed, and worse, a story on an Indian building collapse in which 10 people were killed including 5 children.
At the end of the bulletin Exelby apologised on air saying, “I just wanted to apologise. I got a case of the giggles a little bit earlier while reading some very serious news and if I have offended anyone I am sincerely sorry.”
The moment was apparently caused by presenter Matt Doran teasing Irish developer Allan Dixon about finding an Aussie wife, and having a suntan with Exelby.
A TEN spokesperson told TV Tonight she has been upset ever since the incident.
“There is no excusing Natasha’s behaviour. TEN regards it as totally unacceptable. Although it was a genuine mistake, Natasha is appalled by her behaviour and upset. She sincerely apologises to all viewers,” they said.
She also apologised to individual tweets telling one outraged viewer, “Your comment is more than fair. I sincerely apologise.”
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- Tagged with TEN Late News, TEN News
29 Responses
The Director should have had Doran take over as soon as Exelby blurted out that first giggle. She was really let down by the people around her.
But this is what happens when you cull costs by hiring cheap young talent. These are the sorts of mistakes that should be made (and learned from) at insignificant regional stations rather than during a national bulletin on a major network.
Just another day at ten ……
Lots of people here commenting on her age being a part of this unprofessional, and unfortunate, news read. However, to say that this is indicative of her overall career, and that this makes her unfit to read news, is a joke in itself.
TEN News is trying to do something a little different, and they genuinely are reaching a younger audience with fresh faces. While this was, again, unfortunate, Natasha has otherwise shown maturity in an industry dominated by people who are much more matured in their career.
The Late News is great, and if TEN had a better catch-up service it’d be even better. But to complain about the network trying to target a different audience to you is just weird. There were plenty of late night news shows which people weren’t watching, so why should TEN make another flop when they can, and have, tried something new.
Hopefully she learns from this and it doesn’t happen again, but it was, afterall, a humble mistake.
I do agree on ten l8 news though! It totally sucks now, boring as hell. The only reason 90%of people watched it before was to see Sandra!!
Ever since appearing on The Project she thinks she is a comedian.
I think the key point is that sports presenters should not use news presenters as the source of humour.
To be fair, I think she did her best to compose herself – there were many times when Sandra would completely lose it just before presenting the weather thanks to Ryan or Brad’s comments, and would then stumble through the forecast and bulletin ending.
As for the format, I think Ten”s bulletin provides a balanced young-vibe to contrast the bulletins on ABC and SBS in the same slot. They do try to include serious news, but it probably gets lost somewhat between the filler.
As someone who doesn’t get home to after 7:30pm most nights, I’m glad that at least one of the commercial stations is providing an late night bulletin – better than trying to fill the entire afternoon with news bulletins that many aren’t home to watch.
I think it’s more a downfall of the structure of the Ten Late News. No way should news stories like that be following a segment where the newsreader(s) are flirting with guests.
Should have been an ad break splitting this up.
Blaming Tash is a touch unfair, blame Ten.
Honestly who cares!
The project anyone? They do it every night, go from laughing story to some murder or rape story straight after laughing and some still laughing.
We are called humans for a reason! We make mistakes, i’m sure none of you have ever made a mistake??
Ch10 axed the Circle in the aftermath of Yumi Stynes’s inappropriateness so will they now axe this dud excuse of a news program? And then reinstate the original format please.
Kimbeth, Yumi made the comment in February 2012. The show was axed by new management in July 2012. Yumi stayed on air the whole time.
Ten Late News used to be a regular program for me when Sandra Sully and Brad McEwan were on. It was a good round-up of the day’s more important news and they managed both the balance and timing of any frivolity well.
Those two news items should have been at the beginning of the program, not immediately after a puff interview that was signed off with a joke that went on for twice as long as it should have.
TEN keeps her, gets rid of the professionals like Ron Wilson and Bill Woods, not to mention so many others, and expects viewers to take TEN News seriously (if indeed that’s how it’s meant to be taken).
Well, TEN’s Late News is just a slap and tickle Claytons bulletin full of Internet nonsense, showbiz crap, sports bloopers and other airheaded pap. Nobody takes it seriously and I’m not surprised that attitude is shared by the on-air talent.
Now that she’s been outed as an uncontrollable giggler.. She should be getting a call from Adam Boland any day now..
Oh come on people, it was just a bit of fun and flirting, clearly she wasn’t laughing at the news story! Love ya Tash! xx
Always thought she wasn’t that great a newsreader.
Appalling. She should be ashamed and upset with herself. Ten is right, no excuses. I agree that the mix of Ten’s late night news is problematic. It is a bizarre mishmash of fluff pieces spliced in with serious (and often tragic) news items. I know this would be a news reader’s worst fear, maybe they should have immediately cut to an ad to allow her to compose herself.
Nothing worse than trying not to laugh, especially when there’s a camera on you and you must stop. I remember donkeys years ago on TEN in Sydney, a 15 minute Saturday news service when reader Steve Raymond got the giggles and it continued all the way through the bulletin.
It was very funny actually.
I guess that is what happens when you retrench veteran professionals and replace them with children.
I was watching at that time, and having been involved in radio, sometimes you can not help it. The Director should have cut to a commercial or something as soon as the first giggle went to air. I know she is sorry but in these days of auto cameras etc, we lack the human touch.
Love how Ten say there is “no excuse” before going on to give one.
This video is very hard to watch. Very awkward. I am a fan of Natasha when on The Project but find the people on Tens late night news are always mucking around too much, especially when Hamish is away.
Well doesn’t help that the format seems to mix up magazine type items with world news. Not a great rundown of stories! The Project seems to work out how to segue but not with that display from the Late News team. Apart from that I have found Ms Exelby a very informal and at times snippy journo or guest panelist.
She’s hopeless, even at her best she can’t get two sentences out without at least one major mispronunciation (or much much worse). One suspects that she’s more concerned with how she plans to editorialise a piece than with actually presenting it.
How she ever got as far as she has in her industry is something of a mystery.
I was watching at the time, and I was thinking, oh my God, she’s laughing. I felt really bad for her, there is nothing worse than getting a fit of the giggles at an inappropriate time, and the more you try to stop, the more you laugh. I am just glad I am not a newsreader, when I start to laugh, I can’t stop no matter how hard I try.