US photographer suing over Sunrise interview

A US photographer is suing Network Seven following comments made by Thomas Markle, the estranged father of Meghan Markle, during a Sunrise interview in September 2021.

The Australian reports in the interview Markle Snr. implied Mr Rayner “is a dishonest management consultant who conned Mr Markle (by deceiving his daughter Samantha) into participating in a photographic shoot as part of a plan to disrupt the royal wedding of Meghan Markle”.

Mr Markle claimed Mr Rayner worked for Harvey Weinstein, taking “compromising” photographs of his victims, according to court documents.

He states that Seven should have been aware there was a “reasonable likelihood” that Markle would have made defamatory comments about him due to previous comments made.

“The respondents nonetheless broadcast the interview live, without pre-recording, reviewing and editing its contents prior to publication,” the statement of claim said.

The day after the interview aired, David Koch told viewers, “On yesterday’s program in a live interview, Thomas Markle Sr., not uncharacteristically went a bit rogue, making some pretty wild and unfounded allegations, including against Dylan Howard, an Australian journalist now living and working in the US, and Jeff Rayner, a Los Angeles-based photographer.

“Seven did not intend for such allegations to be broadcast and has subsequently removed them from all versions of the program,” said Natalie Barr.

“We would like to apologise to those gentlemen named by Mr Markle that the allegations went to air.”

Mr Rayner is now seeking an unspecified amount in aggravated damages due to “hurt and harm” caused by the comments.

A senior Seven source said the network was “perplexed” by the action as they had previously agreed a form of apology with Mr Rayner and will be “vigorously defending” the matter.