TVT Vault: 5 years since ‘White jacket-gate’

After that leaked video this week, it’s time to open the TV Tonight Vaults and revisit another infamous newsroom leak.

As it turns out ‘White Jacketgate’ took place 5 years ago yesterday.

Here are excerpts from how TV Tonight reported the Nine News Now incident in 2017. Readers voted it the Biggest Blunder of 2017.

Just wow.

The publicity spin from Nine after the staggering leaked footage involving Nine News Now presenters Amber Sherlock and Julie Snook is almost as bad.

Amber Sherlock admits she “probably over-reacted,” while Snook declared, “Amber and I just really love white!”

Quotes from both presenters followed the staggering video leak yesterday in which Amber Sherlock berated Julie Snook over her wardrobe, minutes before going to air.

The clip, leaked to Mumbrella website, is a branding disaster for Nine News. In only the second week of the year we already have a contender for one of 2017’s lowlights.

Sherlock told Snook she could not wear white on air, given both she and guest psychologist Sandy Rea, were also wearing white.

“I need Julie to put a jacket on. I asked her before we came on… I told you two hours ago,” Sherlock insisted.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been flat out,” Snook replied.

In a Melbourne studio, Rea looked like she was caught in between a colleague catfight.

“I made this clear two-and-a-half-hours ago…” Sherlock continued.

“Amber, if it’s an issue, I can get on out of here…” Snook suggested.

Sherlock was adamant: “It is an issue. Go and grab a jacket…. I wasn’t saying it for no reason. The wardrobe girls will be furious downstairs.”

Snook even pointed out her outfit was more blue than white.

“It doesn’t look like it. Get a producer. There’s one hanging up. Just get it…”

After more terse exchanges, Snook eventually reappeared with a black jacket.

And it was all smiles when the three came on air.

Nine will be in overdrive to get to the bottom of its leak. Meanwhile even it was forced to address the issue on 9Honey.

“Live TV can be a pretty stressful beast, at times,” Sherlock said in a statement. “And as anyone knows, it’s never much fun rocking up to work or to a party in the same outfit as one of your colleagues or friends. I probably overreacted with the pressure of presenting a live news bulletin.”

“What can I say? Amber and I just really love white!” Snook said. “Amber and I are good friends and I really enjoy working with her, News is a fast moving environment and sometimes these things happen.”

 Originally published January 13, 2017.